Yuletide: FG Opens Second Niger Bridge December 15 to Ease Traffic
The federal government has announced December 15 for the opening of the Second Niger Bridge to ease traffic during Christmas and new year celebrations.
Jimoh Olawale, federal controller of works in Delta, disclosed this in an interview in Asaba, Delta State capital, on Wednesday.
He, however, said that the bridge would be open for use only for 30 days since it was not completed yet.
According to him, the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, ordered the opening of the bridge, which is 95 percent completion stage, to ease traffic during the Yuletide.
“As we know, during the Christmas celebration, commuters suffer hardship accessing the old Niger Bridge due to traffic jam but with this arrangement, traffic congestion on Asaba-Benin Expressway will ease.
“We have notified the state government on this arrangement and we are working with the Federal Roads Safety Corps to ensure a hitch free vehicular movement.
“Motorist going towards Owerri direction would divert through the access road near the old Niger Bridge to the new bridge”, the controller added.
Olawale also debunked claims that the federal government had abandoned the payment of compensation to property owners along the access road to the Bridge.
“The federal government has appointed a consultant, Messrs C.O. Akpabor and Company to enumerate the properties for compensation,.
“Each claimant has an attorney that liaises with the consultant, so there is no need for protest, more so that the federal government has not taken possession of the properties nor commenced construction work on the access road.
“At the moment, nobody’s structure or property has been demolished.
“The federal government verification team have visited and submitted its report to Abuja and the government will pay all compensation before work will commence on the access road”, he said.
Olawale assured that the government would complete construction work on the 17km access road before May 29, 2023.
-diplomatic diary
