The long awaited second Niger Bridge which was completed and handed over to government recently will be “almost inoperative” unless two Bypasses in Asaba and Onitsha are constructed.
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi said the bridge is today faced by serious challenges of constructing the Approach roads 2A and 2B which were awarded by FEC but have funding challenges to take-off.
Umahi said Monday while defending the budget of Ministry before the Joint Senate and House Committee on Works that the remaining two Bypasses in Asaba (2A) and Onitsha (2B) awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Reynods Construction Company Nigeria Limited respectively, during the last Administration was initially estimated at about N200billion but now with inflation, the cost may be up to N260billion.
“There is no funding for these projects and the projects have not taken off. Let me note that without these Bypasses, the completed 2nd Niger Bridge will be almost inoperative.
Umahi who underscored the importance of road infrastructure to the over all development of the country said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Funded Projects in two phases.
“The NNPC joined the Road Infrastructure Development & Refurbishment Tax Credit Scheme programme by undertaking to finance 21 roads in the sum of N621bn with total length of roads of about 1,804.6km under the NNPC Phase I.
According to him, these roads were identified by key stakeholders such as the NNPC, Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTD) and the Ministry etc. as being crucial for the efficient distribution of petroleum products across the nation.
As at date, the total drawdown forwarded to the NNPC Limited is in the sum of N247.729 bn out of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved sum of N621,237 bn representing 39.88% performance.
He explained that the funding gap here due to inflation is estimated at over N250 bn.
