By Oye Chukwujekwu
Special Correspondent, Asaba
Power, Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola, has stated President Mohammad Buhari’s pledge to complete the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, which has been on the drawing board since the days of Olusegun Obasanjo in the Villa.
Fashola made the disclosure in the company of Project Coordinator, H.D. Bley, of Julius Berger Nigeria and other stakeholders when they came to Asaba to ascertain the work done so far.
He told Delta State Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro, and a gathering of traditional rulers that the main reason for his visit was to seek the full cooperation of the host communities, which include Anambra and Delta, in the completion of the bridge.
He said the project is an extension of the First Niger Bridge which creates wealth and prosperity by connecting the East and the West.
The Second Niger Bridge is a national asset, Fashola stressed, which propels the desire of the Buhari administration to complete it in reasonable time.
“We are mindful of compensation. If there is peace, compensations will come, we can be building while compensations issues are going on, as all things would be sorted out accordingly,” he pledged.
“All the federal government needs is full cooperation from host communities so that workers can go back to site to make the project achievable.”
He promised that property owners and host communities whose lands are encroached upon will be compensated.
Otuaro gave an assurance that Delta will do everything possible to facilitate the completion of the bridge to deliver on the campaign promise of prosperity for all Deltans.
Otuaro, accompanied by Commissioners James Augoye (Works); Dan Okenyi (Land); Vincent Uduaghan (Transport); Patrick Ukah (Information); and other top officials, commended Abuja for prioritising the completion of the project.
Patrick Onyeobi, who spoke on behalf of the Asagba of Asaba, Joseph Edozie, also applauded the federal authorities for promising to finish the construction.
He said with the achievements of Fashola when he was Lagos governor from 2007 to 2015, he has no doubt that he will excel in his portfolios.
He advised Fashola to be careful with those he negotiates compensation with so as not to fall into the hands of mischief makers.
Onyeobi appealed to him to also rehabilitate the Illah-Ebu Bridge as part of the projects that will enhance national development.
He affirmed the position of the Delta State government by assuring Abuja of the full cooperation of Edozie and that of other traditional rulers towards the completion of the bridge.
