Upgrade of 2nd Niger Bridge Approved by Federal Government

FG approves upgrade of work on 2nd Niger Bridge

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BY JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, ABUJA ON AUGUST 7, 2014 ·BUSINESS

The Federal Govern­ment has approved the commencement of the upgrade of work at the second Niger Bridge to improve the economy of the people of Delta, Edo states and the South-South region in general.

Vice President Namadi Sambo stated this yesterday when he had audience with a delegation of elders from Delta and Edo states led by the Minister for Works, Mike Onolememen, in his office on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja.

According to Sambo, “the President’s approval for the commencement of the work also includes the upgrade of the arteries and connections to the bridge.”

He therefore directed the Minister of Works to ascertain the actual areas that need to be dualised, pointing out that the completion of the bridge project will likely attract an increased flow of traffic.

To this end, he further di­rected that designs must be presented for the future du­alisation of the road since the work is scheduled to com­mence by 2015. He said, “the Federal Government is also planning to provide railways in all these areas to make for a more effective transporta­tion system,” assuring that the transformation programme of President Jonathan’s adminis­tration will be faithfully imple­mented to benefit Nigerians.

The delegation, which com­prised Ebu, Illah, Emu, Inyede and Igbedo, the host and im­mediate benefiting communi­ties of the Utor River Bridge on the Asaba-Illah-Emu-Ahia-Uromi Road, was on a “thank you visit” to the Federal Gov­ernment for the successful completion of the project. Ear­lier, the representative of the delegation, Andrew Omalu Okoja, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the completion of the Utor River Bridge project, which was abandoned by previous administrations and eventual­ly resuscitated, approved and funded by President Jonathan.

Okoja conveyed the ap­preciation of the people to the government for the quick response to the recently col­lapsed Two Cell Box Culvert Bridge between Illah and Ebu on the Asaba-Ebu-Emu-Ahia-Uromi Road.