N117.8 Billion Second Niger Bridge Flagged Off By Jonathan With Captivating Pictures

The Second Niger Bridge Flagged Off Today By President Jonathan

                                    

FORTY Nine years after the first Bridge over River Niger was put to use, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday flagged off the construction of the Second Niger Bridge linking Onitsha in Anambra and Asaba in Delta states at the tune of over One hundred and seventeen Billion naira.  

              

The first Bridge was constructed in 1965  and the new bridge would be sponsored through Private Public Partnership (PPP) arrangement for a concession period of 25 years through design, build , finance , operate and transfer (DBFOT) model. The bridge is a toll bridge. 

Jonathan dismissed the insinuations making rounds that he was flagging off the Bridge now because of the forthcoming 2015 General elections , adding that he was clearing all gray areas that would not make he bridge be a white elephant project.

He said the Bridge would assist in alleviating the pains and sufferings of road users especially during festivities, pointing out that there would be boost in industrialization and economic development of the country especially South-West , South-South and South East when the Bridge is completed. 
           

Jonathan said: ‘’ …….people taught I am flagging off the bridge now because election is coming and that’s why I am doing the flag off today. We took pains in streamlining the processes so that once we laid the foundation, the project would not stop. The Federal Government is providing 25 percent of the resources needed for financing the project while other partners would be contributing….we have enough money that will last for a year.

“This bridge will be key to development, not only to the South East but also to the entire country. It is a project that is designed to succeed. People talk about the failure of previous flag offs of the bridge by various administration but I know that projects like this require strict planning, else it will fail.

                  

“Many people may ask why are we coming now, or maybe we are doing this because of politics, but it is not true. We only had to wait and plan carefully because a project like this requires all avenues of funding to be made known. We are providing about 25percent of the funding for take off, and that is coming from SURE-P.” Jonathan said.

President Jonathan commended Governor Peter Obi and his Delta counterpart Uduaghan for their commitment and dedication to the actualization of the bridge even as he hoped that Governor Elect , Chief Willy Obiano will tow the same line of commitment , urging the two states for enabling environment to complete the construction as at when due.

For the Coordinating Minister for Economy/ minister for Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala , the template was the first private public partnership for  construction of a bridge in Nigeria adding that it is a viable infrastructure for economic development.  She went ahead to describe it as a love Bridge as the first bridge assisted her from Ugwashi Ukwu Delta state to locate her husband in Umuda Isingwu Abia state.

She expected a speedy completion of the bridge with the new model of Nigeria PPP which makes it a toll bridge which made it a construction on 60 percent equity and 40 percent on debt with partners indicating interest   in both equity and debt commending the Julius Berger company and Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Investment Authority for partnering for the actualization of the bridge.

Minister for works, Arch Mike Onolemenem went memory lane on how the ministry in 2011 commenced procurement of services of experienced Transaction Advisor and Concessionaire with full complement of relevant skills comprising of Technical, financial and legal to collaborate with the federal government to construct and manage the project. 
             

Onolemenem said: ‘’…….the Ministry in 2013 procured and commenced early works Phase one comprising surveys , morphodynamic study , soil investigations etc and finalized the design for bridge and the cost. …………The second Niger Bridge is 1,590 meter long and forms part of the  11.90 km length project , which construction cost is put at N117,860,700,741.82 (VAT inclusive). The bridge is located 1.7 km down stream of the existing bridge on a new alignment and consists of 2 No equal end spans of 40 m, 15 No equal intermediate spans of 55 m each and 2 No intermediate spans of 90 m each , 3 No navigational spans of 150 m each . The total width of the dual carriage way bridge is 35.3 m consisting of 16 .05 m wide 3 lane carriage way in each direction and 3.03 central reserve. Also, two (2 No) underpasses categorized as secondary bridges are planned at Amakon village and Atani roads with an interchange on Onitsha –Owerri road forming part of the project.

Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi in his welcome speech said it is only the Jonathan administration that has given the Igbos the place they deserve in the country. He said that up till today, the Nigerian government never gave Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe the burial he deserved despite his contribution to nation building.

                

“But under your administration, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu was given a very befitting burial. Today you have taken over the construction of a Maosoleum for Zik’s resting place. We are happy that after a fake flag off by the Obasanjo government, the bridge is today becoming a reality, before now Federal Government was asking Anambra and Delta state government to contribute N10billion each for the construction, but today you are doing it all by yourself.”

The chairman South East Governor’s Forum, and Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji, Delta State governor, Emmanual Uduaghan, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, his House of representatives Counterpart, Emeka Ihedioha all eulogized President Jonathan for the will to construct the bridge.

Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Executive of Julius Berger, Engr Wolfgang Goetsch assured that his company will do everything possible, and will also work day and night to ensure timely completion of the project.

Prominent traditional rulers including Obi of Onitsha and Asagba of Asaba and industrialists in Anambra state and across the country attended the event.