From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Federal Government on Tuesday said its priority is to complete the Second Niger Bridge next month and have it commissioned before the end of the year.
The Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, gave the assurance on Tuesday at the construction site of the toll gates at the Oko end of the bridge in Delta State.
Prof Gambari was on inspection of the project alongside Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola and Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige.
He said that tolling of the road and its concession were secondary issues to the government for now.
‘Let us finish this road and that is the responsibility of the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund, to make the funds available, in conjunction with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to finish this road so that it will enhance the economic development of this area. That is the priority,’ the chief of staff stated.
‘The good news is that by April 2, this bridge will be completed, and towards the end of the year, by October, Mr. President will come to commission it,’ he told reporters.
Answering questions on tolling, Minister of Works Fashola disclosed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has already approved the National Tolling Policy, adding that it would be consistent with global best practices.
‘This will be a toll highway, 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.
‘In the national tolling policy, we made it clear that as much as it is possible when a road is to be tolled, there would be alternative. So when this road is tolled, the old bridge is an alternative which is not tolled.
‘We are looking at providing way bridges along the corridor so that there will be compliance, otherwise we start the abuse that accelerate the deteroriation of our infrastructure,’ the minister stated.
On whether or not the toll highway would be concessioned, Fashola said that was not the priority, insisting that the responsibility of the Ministry of Works was to deliver the asset in conjunction with NSIA.
He noted there were laws regulating a concession process and how it should be done, adding that the ministry was currently supervising concession process around 12 highways across the country.
‘And it’s being open, so we have nothing to worry about. I just told you that NSIA manages the funding, my job is to build the road.
‘That is why the Chief of Staff is here to some see if what we are reporting is consistent with what is happening here so that he can brief Mr President,’ the minister added.