NAWOJ South-East Chapter tours Second Niger Bridge, Commends FG on launching, actualizing project

By Ada Nwanagum

The South-East Chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ) led by their Vice President, Comrade Stella Igboka on Wednesday Inspects the level of work done so far on the Second Niger Bridge.

While addressing the women, the Director and Federal Controller of Works in the Federal Ministry of Works, Engineer Adeyemo Ajani stated that the Second Niger Bridge will be opened to vehicular traffic in the fourth quarter of the year 2022.

According to Engineer Ajani, the eleven-point-three-kilometre project started in 2019, and fully funded by the Federal Government at the sum of two hundred point six billion naira, is more than eighty-three per cent completed.

Explaining further, Engineer Ajani said the second Niger Bridge is one -point -six kilometres which is nearing completion while eight kilometres out of the ten-point-three kilometres of the access roads to the bridge have been done stressing that the Second Niger Bridge Project was a very difficult one because of the terrain which is swampy and waterlogged. He disclosed that at some point, they adopted new modern technology to improve the soil and stabilize it for the project to stand the test of time.

He also said the bridge has three lanes and would have been completed before now if not for delays occasioned by COVID-19, and protests giving strong assurance that those coming back for the 2022 Christmas celebration will make use of the Second Niger Bridge.

The Health Safety And Environmental Manager, Mr Tim Oseghe who guided the tour on the Second Niger Bridge, stated that Julius Berger is proud to be part of the development of the South-East Region, pointed out that they did not record any injury in the course of the work, he also noted that the Second Niger Bridge is a blessing to the people.

Engineer Yetunde, a female Engineer who led the tour, threw more light on the Obosi Interchange and the technology applied in working on the access road which was waterlogged initially, she said that the access road from Delta to the Second Niger Bridge is three-point-three (3.3) kilometres while from Anambra is seven kilometres.

Speaking at the end of the inspection, Comrade Stella Igboka expressed satisfaction at the advancement of work at the Second Niger Bridge, which according to her is strategic to South-East and South-South and thanked the Federal Government led by President Buhari for making the Second Niger Bridge a reality.

Also, the News Manager, Kpakpando FM, Comrade Monic Okechukwu who said that seeing is believing, confirmed that the work is nearing completion at the Second Niger Bridge expressed hope that the project will be delivered as promised by the contractors.

Our reporter who covered the inspection reports that the women journalists walked on the Second Niger Bridge in the course of inspection where heavy equipment and Engineers were seen doing different types of construction work.
Heavy traffic occasioned by the road construction was also observed at the Idemili Obosi roundabout.

Among the entourage were Manager UNIZIK FM, Ify Obi, News Manager, NTA Onitsha, Maureen Ezeokeke, Head Of News, ABS, Onitsha, Chinyelu Obiejesi, A Deputy Director ABS News, Awka, Ebele Eze among others.