Work on Second Niger Bridge will be completed on April 2, according to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, handling the contraction work.
This was disclosed by the managing director of the company, Mr Lars Ritchter, after a delegation of the Federal Government comprising of Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Works, Alhaji Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Labour, Sen. Chris Ngige as well as Senior Assistant to the President on Infrastructure, Uche Oji.
There were also representatives of Anambra State Government lead by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu.
On Tuesday when the dignitaries inspected the pace of work on the Bridge, Fashola said that he had earlier assured that Work will be completed in the first quarter of 2022.
“April is Completion date. Earlier I said it will end in February or latest end of first quarter.
“Before now some people said there was no bridge but now we are walking on the bridge. This is real now. Plus or minus, when we cross the Ts and dot the Is, we will complete it as promised- 11 kilometers and 12 kilometers on both sides of the bridge”.
Fashola also recalled that he said in April the high tension transmission line across the bridge will be relocated because they were too low on the bridge.
For that reason, he continued, power will be shut down for two weeks to enable the generating and transmission companies as well as the ministry of power to work seamlessly on the project.
He pleaded with those that affected to cooperate as nobody will be shut out permanently.
Minister of Labour, Sen. Chris Ngige said that he has been proved right when he assured last year that the second Niger bridge was real.
What is important, he said is for the bridge to be completed and commissioned in October.
The speed, the environmental concerns taken care of and the quality of the bridge to last for many decades are worth celebrating,” he said.
The Federal Controller of works in Anambra State Mr. Adeyemo Ajani lamented that pace of work was slowed down by the outbreak of Coronavirus.
Ajani said the bridge provided 15 metres for water level during high tide in the River Niger to give ships enough elbow to pass.
On the issue of power that will be disrupted, he said the power lines were too low and needed to be relocated and it will take the construction company two weeks to relocate it.
Toll will be collected on the bridge which has eight lanes on each side and when completed will reduce load on the old bridge.
2nd Niger Bridge To Be Ready in April …As Gambari, Fashola, Ngige Inspects the Project
