President Buhari Commissions 1.6km 2nd Niger Bridge

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday commissioned the 2nd Niger Bridge, the 1.6km bridge linking Asaba, Delta State with Onitsha, Anambra State and other South-East States.

President Buhari, who performed the commissioning of the bridge via Zoom said the bridge is one of the critical infrastructures delivered by his administration to fight poverty, promote economic growth and ensure progress for the people.

He noted that the bridge and other projects being commissioned symbolised his administration’s sharp focus on delivering prosperity across the country.

On the naming of the bridge after him, the President said he was not consulted before the bridge was named after him.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, who also joined the event via Zoom, said, “This is a clear case of how infrastructure supports the people. It will take only a few minutes to cross the bridge of approximately 1.5km, travel time is reduced by 50 per cent. By this bridge, various properties in the area have appreciated.”

“After consultation with the state governors and other critical stakeholders, we decided to name the bridge Muhammadu Buhari Bridge.”

In his remarks, Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said the bridge would help boost the nation’s economy and ease of doing business between Delta and Anambra states.

Okowa, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Ovie Agas, said that the 2nd Niger Bridge would create jobs and enhance economic growth within the two states.

In his contributions, Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, commended Buhari for keeping to his campaign promises of completing and delivering the bridge to the people of South-East.

“I am personally overjoyed. Today is a day of joy, we have come to express our gratitude. History is being made today, the people of the South-East have agitated, and we have complained about five key infrastructure projects.

“These five key projects, which were supposed to be a game changer to the economy of the South-East are the dredging of the River Niger, the second happens to be the 2nd Niger bridge, the third is the expressway that will lead from Anambra directly to Lokoja and the fourth are the gas pipeline and the fifth obviously is the railway line.

“Of these five projects, it is our pleasure that we have come to tick good to one of them and a major one at that, and that is the 2n Niger Bridge.”