From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Respite is near for road users who usually go through hell daily owing to unending traffic gridlock while crossing the River Niger bridge from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Asaba, the capital of Delta State, and vice versa.
All things being equal, the Second Niger Bridge has become a reality and will be put to use soon, following assurances by the construction company handling the project and the Federal Government.
The Niger Bridge now in use was built in 1965 and it has remained the crucial East- West link over the years. However, due to age, excessive axle load and immense traffic congestion arising from enhanced economic activities in the South-East/South-West transport corridor, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing initiated and commenced the construction of the Second Niger Bridge.
The groundbreaking ceremony was performed on March 10, 2014, signalling the take-off of the construction of the paramount national infrastructure.
The bridge is intended to reduce the strain on the Niger Bridge, improve traffic flow, improve the health and security, and create opportunities for the host communities, as well as other Nigerians to improve on their socio-economic activities.
On February 25, 2018, the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) was established by President Muhammadu Buhari to accelerate the execution of certain infrastructure projects essential to the rapid growth of Nigeria’s economy.
One of the key projects was the Second Niger Bridge connecting Asaba to Onitsha.
According to a policy document by the fund managers of the project, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), made available to the reporter, the Second Niger Bridge is being constructed by Julius Berger Nigeria and the scope of work involves the construction of a 1.6km bridge over the River Niger, scheduled for completion in August 2022.
“Construction of two secondary bridges at CH25+166 (Amakom Village Road) and CH28+304 (Atani Road) spanning 21.7m each, which have now been completed. Demolition of existing flyover and construction of new interchange at CH34+100 (Onitsha-Owerri Road), scheduled for completion in August 2022. Construction of 3.3km approach road on the Asaba side and 7.0km approach road on the Onitsha side of the main bridge, scheduled for completion in October 2022.
“Toll plaza at CH25+700 consists of eight lanes in each direction, scheduled for completion in October 2022. Site clearing of the right of way, including the removal of all bush, trees and shrubs and soil improvement, including soil exchange, geotextile as a filter layer, geotextile for base reinforcement, prefabricated vertical drains, geotextile encased sand columns and geotextile for base reinforcement.”
On November 12, 2020, Mr. President approved the second phase of the project, which entails the construction of approach roads 2A (Benin to Asaba Expressway) and 2B (Onitsha to Enugu Expressway).
The approach roads will drive traffic to the bridge via two 17.5km approach roads on either side of the bridge and enhance the project’s viability.
To ascertain the level of work done so far and possible completion of the project on schedule, a Federal Government delegation, comprising the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, as well as the managing director, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Uche Orji, visited the project site recently.
The delegation, accompanied by journalists, trekked on the bridge across a 1.6 km distance from the Anambra State end to the Asaba end of the bridge.
Managing director of Julius Berger Construction Company, Lars Ritchter, who briefed the entourage at intervals in the course of the walk across the bridge, said the major work on the bridge would be completed in April this year.
Gambari described the bridge as one of the legacy projects of Buhari, and expressed satisfaction with the work done.
He was optimistic that, with the pace of work so far, the project would be delivered by the third quarter of the year, as assured by the contractors.
He commended the contractors for not just the speed of work but also their safety and environmental concerns in the execution of the project.
Fashola, who was impressed also by the pace and quality of work, based on what he saw, said the project has proved naysayers wrong who thought initially that it was not real.
“Before now, some people said there was no bridge anywhere here but now we are walking on the bridge. This is real now. Plus or minus, when we cross the T’s and dot the I’s; we will complete it as promised, 11 kilometers and 12 kilometers on both sides of the bridge.”
Fashola said he had earlier pledged that work would be completed in the first quarter of 2022 and with the assurance coming again from the construction company handling the project, the hope has been concretised.
The minister also disclosed that the high tension transmission line across the bridge would be relocated in the month of April because they were too low on the bridge.
He said, for that reason, power would be shut down for two weeks in the affected areas to enable the generating and transmission companies as well as the ministry of power work seamlessly on the project. He pleaded that those that would be affected by the outage should cooperate, as nobody would be shut out permanently.
On the issue of the bridge having a toll gate, Fashola confirmed that there would be a toll highway but whether it will be concessioned or not was another issue entirely.
“The responsibility of our ministry is to deliver the asset in conjunction with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority. Once we have finished, they, NSIA, can concession, if they want to, and we have already gotten FEC to approve the national tolling policy. So, this is going to be consistent with what we see around the world. If we want to be like the world, we must be ready to do what the world does,” he said.
According to Orji, the Second Niger Bridge, upon completion, will offer significant socio-economic benefits for the contiguous states and, indeed, the entire nation by easing traffic flow, improving road safety and creating greater opportunities for residents and neighbouring states, thereby regenerating economic life.
Ngige also said he has been proved right when he declared last year that the Second Niger Bridge was real. He said what was important was for the bridge to be completed and inaugurated in October.
“The speed, the environmental concerns taken care of and the quality of the bridge to last for many decades are worth celebrating,” he said.
Federal controller of works in Anambra State, Mr. Adeyemo Ajani, recalled that pace of work on the bridge was slowed down by the outbreak of COVID-19.
He said: “The bridge itself (without the adjoining roads ) is 93 per cent completed, which means that all the sub-structure works have been completed and the superstructure is ongoing.
“We have just 10 metres to link the entire bridge of 1.6km at the moment. We have commenced the finishing works, such as parapet and other auxiliary works on the bridge.
“All things being equal, the bridge would have been completed and ready for use by October this year. On completion, because it is not a stand-alone bridge, the ministry is thinking of doing a temporary connection via an access road around Oko in Delta, immediately after the old toll gate, to put it to immediate use, linking not just Onitsha, but also Owerri.”
Ajani said the bridge provided 15 metres for water level during high tide in the River Niger to give ships enough room to pass.
He confirmed that tolls would be collected on the bridge, which has eight lanes on each side and will reduce load on the old bridge.
He added that the construction project had so far provided job opportunities for over 5,500 Nigerians, noting that the project had improved the socio-economic conditions of the people living around the area.