Obinna Eze, the second driver to pass through the bridge, urged the present administration to complete it before May 2023.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Second Niger Bridge opened to vehicular movements on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at exactly 9:50am.
Although it was hours short of the time the Federal Government gave, that is 12am, there is excitement in the air over the opening.
A government official said the delay was as a result of some adjustments on the roads linking the bridge, reports Channels TV.
The first driver to pass through the bridge, Sunday Emem, expressed his delight. “I feel so happy, at least it will reduce the hold-up. We’ve stayed over one hour at the other bridge,” he said.
Obinna Eze, the second driver to pass through the bridge, urged the present administration to complete it before May 2023.
“It is a reality, though it is not 100% complete, so far what we are seeing is impressive. We commend the present administration and we hope they complete it based on the time frame,” Eze said.
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Federal Controller of Works in Delta, Jimoh Olawale, had told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the bridge would be open for only 30 days — from December 15, 2022, to January 15, 2023 — to ease the experience of travellers during Yuletide break.
The 1.6 kilometers long bridge links Anambra and Delta states.
The Second Niger Bridge was first proposed during the 1978/79 political campaign by then-candidate Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
However, in August 2012, the Federal Executive Council under then-President Goodluck Jonathan’s approved a contract worth N325 million for the final planning and design of the project.
A somewhat complicated procedure continued under President Muhammad Buhari, who first cancelled the earlier contract in August 2015. The administration, however, resumed the contract on September 1, 2018.
