The second Niger-bridge, according to Seyi Martins, the Acting Federal Controller of Works in Anambra State, will be fully operational by the first quarter of 2024.
On Saturday, he told members of the Nigerian Council for Regulation of Engineering that work on the bridge had reached 95% completion.
Martins stated that while the bridge would be officially commissioned in December 2022, it would not be fully operational until 2024 due to a second phase of work that had yet to begin, a 3.3km road approach on the Delta side and a 7km road approach on the Anambra side.
According to him, the first phase of the project was nearly finished, with only the final asphalt surfacing on the Asaba bound carriageway lane remaining.
The bridge, which would be approximately 1.7km parallel to the existing bridge, would be a dual carriageway with three lanes on both sides measuring approximately 1.6km in length, for a total length of 11.9km, according to him.
The acting controller also stated that the steel guard rails were finished and that the roads were ready for vehicle traffic, with the toll plaza area nearly complete.
He said, “The bridge project is 95 per cent complete and it is expected to be commissioned by the end of December 2022, but there is a second phase which is a 3.3km road approach on the Delta side and 7km of approach road on the Anambra side that is yet to commence.
“The bridge can be accessed from the interchange at Oba on Onitsha-Owerri road.
“A road is being constructed to connect traffic on the Asaba-Benin Expressway pending the completion of the second phase.
“The second phase of the project is yet to commence, but the government has deemed it fit that upon completion of the first phase, it will be open to traffic.
“At the Onitsha end, there is an interchange at Oba, where you can access the bridge and on the Asaba end, there is a link road we are constructing to enable travelers to access the bridge from Benin-Onitsha road.”
Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Chairman Victor Meju praised the contractor and expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done thus far.
Meju stated that COREN leadership was concerned with certifying engineers working on Anambra projects.
He expressed satisfaction with the amount of work completed thus far and praised the President Muhammadu Buhari, for his commitment to completing the job on time.
He stated that when completed, the bridge would benefit the entire country, not just the South-East and South-South.
He said, “What we have observed today is impressive. We are happy that our members, local engineers, were generously used in this project.
“We thank the federal government and the government of Anambra and Delta states for their efforts at seeing that the project come this far. We are confident that the bridge will increase the business activities in the area.”
