AMidst growing fears that the Federal Government has dumped the
construction of the Second Niger Bridge project, prominent Igbo
leaders and built environment experts have appealed to President
Muhammed Buhari, PMB to ensure that the all-important bridge that
would complement the aging River Niger Bridge, is completed on
schedule as stipulated in the contract agreement.
2nd-Niger-Bridge
The bridge which was flagged off on March 10, 2014 by former President
Goodluck Jonathan is expected to be completed in 48 months (March
2018).
Measuring about 1,590 metres long the bridge whose construction cost
was put at N117,860,700,741.82, VAT inclusive, forms part of the 11.90
kilometer length project.
Although officials of both the Federal Ministry of Works and Julius
Berger Nigeria Plc, denied reports that work on the project has been
discontinued, Vanguard Homes & Property which went to the Asaba and
Onitsha ends of the project site last week, observed that only
skeletal works are ongoing as most of the workers have allegedly been
retrenched by the contractors.
It was not certain whether the retrenchment was necessitated by the
rains which usually affect construction works during rainy seasons or
because the Federal Government has not yet released any fund for
continuation of the project.
Apparently reading danger signals from the ongoing scenario, Igbo
leaders and built environment experts who spoke to Vanguard Homes &
Property insisted that since government is a continuity, the incumbent
Buhari administration should go ahead to complete the project because
of its strategic importance to the economic development of the entire
country.
In the beginning
Former President Jonathan had during his presidential campaign rally
in Onitsha, Anambra state in January, this year, given the assurance
that the project would be completed on schedule and delivered.
Jonathan said the project which is being executed through the Public
Private Partnership, PPP arrangement, would also be managed by the
Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF.
2nd-Niger-Bridge
According to him, "So far, N10 billion has been spent and, out of it,
N1.5 billion was used for paying for damages and others. In fact, the
link road that is about three kilometres from the main road to the
bridge which is almost 80 percent of the road has been fixed," he
said.
He noted that about 260 Nigerians and 50 expatriates were working
there."But when the work will be in full swing, we expect that it will
give work to about 2,000 young men and women and about 60 expatriates.
Commercialactivities
So, it is one of the major projects that will engage a number of
people. We asked Julius Berger and the federal Ministry of Works about
their commitments to the project and they said the project will be
completed within the time frame. And I am optimistic they will surely
do it," the former president was quoted as saying.
He noted that when completed, the bridge would improve commercial
activities in the South-East and South West, adding that government
had made a proper arrangement for the financing of the major unity
infrastructure, hence government would provide about 25 percent
funding for the project.
Views of built environment experts
The Registrar of the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria,
QSRBN, Mr. Godson Moneke described the award of the contract for the
construction of a second bridge across the River Niger at Onitsha as a
deceit by Igbo elites and the former President to get the votes of the
Igbos.
He premised this assertion on the fact that the immediate past
government did not have the will to build the bridge. Moneke wondered
why the Public Private partnership, PPP model was adopted for the
construction of such an important bridge that would impact upon the
lives of millions of Nigerians.
According to him, the PPP model is an attempt to short change would-be
users of the bridge.
Moneke who eulogised the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari
administration, enjoined the President to silence his critics who
claim that he is anti-Ndigbo, by jettisoning the PPP model and
constructing the bridge which is of immense economic importance to the
country.
Ohaneneze, NBA react
The Chairman of Anambra State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Elder Chris
Eluemuno warned against any move to discontinue the construction of
the bridge. According to him, there is nothing whatsoever to warrant
the abandonment of the project.
"Why should he (Buhari) abandon the project? Is it because it is
located in Igbo land or what? What we should even be talking about is
to review some areas that is hindering the smooth execution of the
project, so as to quicken the pace of work on it," he said.
The Ohaneze chieftain noted that although all the actions and
utterances of President Buhari point to the fact that he did not like
Ndigbo, he (the President) should know that when completed, Ndigbo
would not be the only beneficiaries of the second Niger bridge
project.
The Chairman of Anaocha branch of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA,
Mr. Chris Adimora spoke in the same vein. "The Bridge is the
connection link between the South East and the rest of the country. If
the existing bridge should collapse today as a result of old age and
over- use, it will mean total calamity and complete cut off from the
old Eastern Nigeria and the rest of the country.
Our appeal is that the Federal Government should fund the bridge 100
percent like it funded Lokoja and other bridges in the country,"
Adimora canvassed. He enjoined the Federal Government to take a look
at the contract documents and remove any concessioner attached to the
project.
"The Federal Government should also review the contract documents and
remove the PPP arrangement. PPP is even a Greek gift to Ndigbo. The
Federal Government should not contemplate termination of the contract.
If Federal government completes the project, Ndigbo will now know that
Buhari is not partial," the NBA boss said.
In his own reaction, the Chairman of Idemili branch of NBA, Mr Ben
Okoko described the Second Niger bridge as a project that is long
overdue. He noted that discontinuing with the project, will be a big
blow to the South-East and South-South geo-political zones..
According to Okoko, "Buhari, as at now, cannot yet be said to be
anti-Igbo, having agreed to complete Zik's Mausoleum project. We
expect him to do the jobs as he promised because the names, Okechukwu
and Ogbuagu which Ndigbo gave to him is not going to be in vain. Let
the project continue at whatever agreement, even if it is PPP.
Free flowof traffic
If any traffic congestion occurs in the existing Niger bridge,
motorists will be stranded". "Government should also complete all the
adjoining roads connecting the second Niger bridge like the road
linking Atani in Ogbaru Local Government Area and Ozubulu in Ekwusigo
Local Government Area to ensure a free flow of traffic.
All the roads that will take their routes from the second Niger bridge
should be rehabilitated, " he suggested. Okoko called on the Federal
Government to also place the rehabilitation of Enugu/Onitsha,
Enugu/Umuahia/Aba/ Port Harcourt dual carriage ways and the
Okigwe/Arondizuaogu/Akokwa/Uga/Nnewi highway, among others on top
priority, to give Ndigbo a real sense of belonging.
More reactions
In the same vein, the Ogirishi of Igboland, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka,
said it would be a political and economic miscalculations for the
Federal government to stop the project, adding that the bridge is the
only connecting link between the South East and other parts of the
country.
"Politics aside, that bridge will help to boost economic base of this
nation because without it, there will be no economic link between the
South East, South South, South West and the rest of the North," he
said.
The Campaign for Democracy, CD, South East Zone, in its own view,
warned that human rights groups would not tolerate a situation where
the second Niger bridge project would be abandoned just because of ch
