[size=14pt]FG Earmarks N10bn for Second Niger Bridge[/size]

Federal Government has set aside the sum of N10 billion for the construction of the second Niger Bridge at Onitsha, Anambra State.
Minister of Works Senator Sanusi Daggash made this disclosure when the Deputy Senate President Senator Ike Ekweremadu paid an official visit to him in Abuja.

The minister said the amount has already been budgeted for the construction.
Daggash also said that he inherited between 22-30 challenging road contracts that were awarded between 1999-2000.
He explained that he has written to President Goodluck Jonathan to find out whether the contracts should be reviewed or revoked.
Ekweremadu expressed concern over the state of the old Niger Bridge and called on the FG to hasten the award of the contract for the construction of the second one.

The deputy senate president said that the life span of the existing bridge, which is over 45 years has made it imperative to construct “the much talked about second Niger Bridge to save the country from an imminent danger."
He observed that the bridge is very strategic as the major link connecting the South-east and other parts of the country. He added that the condition of the bridge has become a source of concern to many Nigerians.
Ekweremadu also expressed concern over the poor state of federal roads, noting that “the South-east has the worst federal roads in the country."

He stated that although contracts have been awarded for the rehabilitation of most of the roads, some of the projects have been abandoned while others are done at a very slow pace.
He pledged that the National Assembly would support any initiative from the ministry to ensure that roads are re-awarded or contractors are made to do the job according to acceptable standards.
“If we fix our road infrastructure, the rate of highway robbery and road accidents would be reduced. Nigerians are very mobile people; when you have bad roads, cars cannot last. Also bad roads encourages highway robbery and increases the rate of accident and death," he added.

Bliss4Lyfe:

Wen will they start work, abi we go do ceremony? Funny country, one bridge for one Nigeria since before independence. na wa!

PROUD-IGBO:

^^^Are you surprised? I'm not. It's just part of the on-going process of not taking Ndigbo seriously. Every government from Obasanjos time sends an official down to Onitsha to spout rubbish about Roads/Niger Bridge/Erosion control, only for everything to be forgotten after a few weeks as 'more important projects' in 'more important regions' take precedence. If my memory serves me right, Obasanjo visited Onitsha and said the same rubbish just as his 2nd term was coming to an end.

And then check out the piffling amount quoted (10 billion) for such a strategic long-awaited project. With that amount expect nothing more than a basic boring and practical design that just manages to get the job done.

Nobody is talking anymore of the launching and commencing of operations at the Onitsha River Port, which was billed for October. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/jonathan-to-commission-onitsha-river-port-oct/

It's our representatives and others in govt that i blame for not fighting our corner as well as they should. The uncomfortable truth is that in this dog-eat-dog country, everybody is fighting for 'their own' and the weakest will be pushed to the back. Simple!!!

Dis Guy:


_{you mean it's not the fault of the northerners?}