Buhari commissions Second Niger Bridge named after him

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday commissioned the Second Niger Bridge.

The bridge named after the president will link Asaba and Onitsha in Delta and Anambra States.

The construction work on the N336 billion project started on September 1, 2018.

Buhari, who performed the inauguration via zoom, said the bridge would improve the economic activities of the areas.

He added that the project which was handed over on Tuesday symbolised the country’s focus on delivering prosperity.

He said: “The second Niger Bridge will facilitate transport connectivity within the region.

“Those crossing the Niger Bridge will no longer experience gridlock as it will help to improve socio-economic activities of the South-East.

“In eight years, I am proud to say that we have developed Nigeria’s infrastructure to GDP from about 20 percent to over 40 percent and that is not a small undertaking.”

The president, however, said he was not consulted before the bridge was named after him.

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

Okowa, who was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Ovie Agas, said the bridge would also create jobs and enhance economic growth within the states.

On his part, the Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, commended Buhari for keeping to his campaign promises of completing and delivering the bridge to the people of South-East.

READ ALSO: South-East govs name Second Niger Bridge after Buhari

Soludo said: “I am personally overjoyed; today is a day of joy, we have come to express our gratitude, and history is being made today.

“The people of South-East have agitated and we have complained about five key infrastructural projects.

“These five key projects are supposed to be game changers to the economy of the South- East, one of these projects is the dredging of the River Niger.

“The next happens to be the Second Niger Bridge, the third is the expressway that will lead from here directly to Lokoja, the fourth is the gas pipeline, while the fifth obviously is the railway line.

“Of these five, 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 Second Niger Bridge.”

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