Work didn’t stop on 2nd Niger Bridge – Peter Obi

Immediate past Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi has described as erroneous, reports in some online media that the Federal Government had stopped work at the second Niger Bridge.

Speaking on the matter, when his comments were sought through the telephone, Obi said work did not stop nei­ther was the Federal Govern­ment contemplating stopping work at the bridge for any rea­son.

Explaining further, Obi who stopped over in London, en route Rome as part of the Fed­eral Government delegation to the Vatican for the canoniza­tion of Pope John Paul II hold­ing today, revealed that he was incidentally with the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Plc, the firm handling the project, Engr.

Wolfgang Goegseh, who im­mediately confirmed to him that work had never stopped at anytime since the flag-off of the project nor did the Federal Government ever ask them to stop work for any reason.

He said the Environmental Impact Assessment was pro­gressing very well, and de­scribed the project as strategic to the economy of the country.

He appealed to all organiza­tions, persons and organs of government directly or indi­rectly connected to the project to give it maximum support saying that when completed, it would be one of the greatest legacies of President Good­luck Jonathan.

The project was flagged off on March 10, 2014, during which the president assured that everything had been put in place for the construction of the bridge.

At the event, the Minister for Works, Mr. Mike Onolemenen, said the project was part of the transformation agenda of President Jonathan aimed at improving the infrastructural and socio-economic activities of the nation.

The minister explained that the Federal Government would execute the project under the Public Private Part­nership, PPP, arrangement for a concessional period of 25 years through the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer, DPFOT, model.

The second Niger Bridge, he explained, would be 1,590 me­tres long and form part of the 11.90 km length road project with the cost of construction put at N117.86 billion.