At least two seemingly contradictory lessons could be learnt from the completion of the first phase of the Second Niger Bridge linking Anambra and Delta states.
On the one hand, the long story of the bridge is a lesson in how not prioritise a project of such a huge significance. On the other hand the completion of the project is a good example of governance as a continuum. It is negative on the path of progress to delay the execution of such a project with immense implications for so long while it is positive that the Buhari administration elected to end the delay in the building of the bridge.
The iconic bridge was released for public use six days ago; but there is still a yet-to- commence second phase comprising the construction of the four kilometre – link road on the Delta state end and the seven kilometre – road linking the bridge and Onitsha-Owerri interchange in Anambra state.
As a matter of fact, Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola made this point very clear when he announced two month ago that the bridge would be ready for use before the end of the year. So it’s “a promise kept,” as political publicists would say.
First, the story of the Second Niger Bridge has become proverbial about the levity with which government takes the provision of very vital infrastructure. The 1.6 kilometre -bridge links the south-south and south east zones of the country. Yet it has been decades from the time the idea of the bridge was conceived to the completion of the of the first phase of the project at the cost of N336 billion to completion The Second Niger Bridge had almost become a metaphor for uncompleted projects in Nigeria. The idea of the bridge always came alive during elections. It was an item of campaign towards the 1979 presidential election by the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). The election was won by President Shehu Shagari. He could not fulfil the promise before the government was overthrown in a military coup after four years and three months in power. The military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari succeeded the administration of Shagari. Incidentally, it is the administration of Buhari as an elected President that is now completing the first phase of the project. By the way, this is also happening two months to another presidential election.
True to tap into the disorganized export of "actually " the nuts to Asia for value addition but in country,We need to also develop factories that would juice the fruit "locally" for consumption too. Then we win together.
And they are trying to package a US drug lord to be our president? He cannot even have the US Visa his mate lobbied to get, yet he is shouting Emi lokan!
The US is a christian nation, they say, let them apply their Christianity in dealing with people. To forgive and forget.... life goes on, regardless of your past errors, he who knows better would do better.
The Nigerian Government has launched Africa’s first humanoid ‘Omeife’ to boost Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technological development in Nigeria and Africa.
Director General National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA Kashifu Inuwa who represented the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, who was to serve as proxy for the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, unveiled Omeife in Abuja.
An Abuja-based technology company, Uniccon, built the 6-foot-tall multilingual robot that resembles a human.
The Vice President noted that the federal government would ensure the project's success and urged other stakeholders to support the Omeife project and develop new ones.
Inuwa said: “We are living in an exciting time of advanced technological advancement, where the science fiction of yesterday are becoming the reality in products and services of today,”