Sincere 9gerian:

27 Dec 2013

Patrick Ugeh

The federal government has begun negotiations with contractors handling the construction of the second Niger Bridge at Onitsha, Anambra State, with a view to securing a reduction in the cost of the project.

Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said the negotiations for a reduction in the cost of the bridge were necessitated by the fact that the exact figures for building the bridge, whose groundbreaking would be done soon, were now known.

He spoke in Abuja at the inauguration of the skywalk bridge connecting Blocks A and B of the ministry, and named Oziegbe, after him.

According to the initial contract terms, the contractor, Julius Berger along with its partner in the consortium, are to invest N100 billion while the federal government will bring 30 percent in equity that will come from money made available by the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

The construction giant mobilised equipment to the site in July for preliminary work pending the finalisation of the contract for the bridge and its approach road estimated at 12.4 kilometres, with the bridge alone having a length of 1.8 kilometres.

“The second Niger Bridge has now been fully designed,” Onolememen told reporters in Abuja. “Now that the numbers are known, we are negotiating it downwards on the basis of our own objectives and financial plans, in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Finance. We will soon do the groundbreaking.”

He added that the federal government was seeking to raise $2 billion from the private sector in the next two years to enable it undertake the funding of road construction projects nationwide since it could not provide the needed funds

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/fg-reviews-cost-of-second-niger-bridge/167398/

1wolex85: i thought i saw a thread sometime ago saying Julius Berger has moved to site?

berem: How long will it take them to review the cost of the bridge? Sometime early this year,the Minister of Works was interviewed on Channels TV where he said something similar. This is the end of the year and he's still saying the same thing. Unfortunately,we will continue hearing the same old story till this tenure ends.

Sincere 9gerian:
That is your wish as an evil person. But you'll be thoroughly ashamed when the projects fully commences. By the way, the project has already started. The preliminary work is part of the project because without it, the full work will not commence.

berem: How long will it take them to review the cost of the bridge? Sometime early this year,the Minister of Works was interviewed on Channels TV where he said something similar. This is the end of the year and he's still saying the same thing. Unfortunately,we will continue hearing the same old story till this tenure ends.

asha 80: quit playing politics with ths bridge and do the danm thing.

berem: keep wallowing in stupidity! Am not ready to start any silly argument with you. Who told you the project has started you pathetic liar! Keep deceiving yourself!

Obiagelli: 8 billion per kilometre, not bad.

ilugunboy: An APC led FG will finish the bridge....

Rad1cal:

Like the 4th Mainland bridge since Tinubu first term.

ilugunboy: An APC led FG will finish the bridge....

Sincere 9gerian:
We have not forgotten how the Buhari govt stalled all the ongoing projects he inherited from Shagari, including the very important Lagos metro railway. Nigerians say God forbid APC at the federal level.

ilugunboy:

Wait...it will happen before your eyes.

PDP will keep playing wayo with the damn bridge...

Sincere 9gerian:
We'r all in a hurry to see the main work started on the Second Niger Bridge. But then, things have to be done properly. I stand to be corrected but this is the first road project being executed by PPP at the federal level. The other projects being executed by PPP is the Lagos Airport road and the Second Niger Bridge has progressed more than the Lagos Airport road.

Other similar projects that were hastily done, eg the Lagos-Ibadan that was concessioned to Bi-courtney failed due to improper planning. The Lekki-Epe road concessioned by Lagos State govt also failed.

So in doing the Second Niger Bridge thru PPP, FG has to get everything right for it to succeed because till date, none of the projects executed thru similar arrangement has succeeded. The first step is contracting it to a reputable company and this the FG has done by giving it to Julius Berger.

The alternative to doing the Second Niger Bridge thru PPP is for govt to take up the responsibility of doing the project alone. The implication is that the project may take too long to materialize.

This is entirely my opinion, anyway.

Gamji007: Oga OP, when are they expected to finish construction?

Rad1cal:

Where is the 4th Mainland bridge AD,AC, and ACN promised us.


it is almost 14 years and we haven't even seen a sign.

dayokanu:

Finish construction ke? Ppl never budget finish you dey ask if completion

Sincere 9gerian:
Did you even bother to read the report? Or is the report too long for your brains to comprehend? Smh

Sincere 9gerian:
Did you even bother to read the report? Or is the report too long for your brains to comprehend? Smh

Italiano1: ... What is so complicated in the construction of a bridge using a PPP framework? Has the government advertised this contract publicly or is Julius Berger their preferred supplier for obvious reasons?

... With all the so called intelligent people in the GEJ administration , many of whom claim to have PhDs - no one has taken the time to conduct a comparative analysis of similar projects elsewhere or examine templates used for successful PPP/PPF initiatives of similar nature? Have you ever heard of a competitive procurement dialogue system?

It is clear that the delay is due to the lack of political will and the intentional use of that bridge as a political carrot for the people of Alaigbo. It is indeed shameful that it is the same people who are being shortchanged that are defending the acts of a wicked government because of crumbs of bread they give them- they are ready to mortgage the future of their children because of a plate of Jollof rice. SHAME!

Sincere 9gerian:
Did you even bother to read the report? Or is the report too long for your brains to comprehend? Smh