… Reveals Why Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road Project Is Delayed
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday said that the Federal Government has released N160bn for the Second Niger Bridge project.
The Minister made the disclosure during a press briefing in Abuja.
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Fashola spoke on the status of the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund and other major projects being undertaken by the Ministry of Works and Housing.
The Minister spoke on the Second Niger Bridge, the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria road project and the Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan road project.
The Second Niger Bridge project located in the South-East region of Nigeria, is expected to boost economic activities and open up development in that part of the country.
It is being implemented by the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority with funding from the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund.
The bridge aims to minimize traffic congestion on the old bridge and to strengthen connectivity in the entire region.
The project is being constructed by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and 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.
The project also involves the 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 8 lanes in each direction, scheduled for completion in October 2022, and Site clearing of the Right of Way (RoW) including the removal of all bush, trees and shrubs.
Upon completion, the project 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.
On November 12, 2020, the President approved the second phase of the project which entails the construction of Approach Roads 2A (Benin to Asaba Expressway) for N88.1bn and 2B (Onitsha to Enugu Expressway) for N112.1bn. This translates into a total contract sum of N200.2bn
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.
The Minister said N160.9bn has been certified to date with a progress of 91.23 per cent
He further disclosed that the bridge, which has an 11.59km road length, has provided 1,486 direct and 8,110 indirect jobs to date.
Fashola said, “From here to here is N206bn thereabout. 1.6km bridge and 10km of access road combined.
“The other part is going to come later, it is not part of the project. So we call it phase 2A and then there is the Delta side. We call this Phase 2B and again that is not part of this current project. But they will be the work that will continue after we have delivered the bridge and the main access road.
“The amount that has been certified to date is N160bn and the percentage level is 91 per cent.”
The Minister said the last lap of work is ongoing on the bridge which will be delivered this year.
He said the bridge is designed with a resistant capacity of a vessel of about 2,000 tonnes.
He also spoke on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano which is a 375km project initiated in 2018.
Fashola explained that the project is the biggest so far in the country as it has 41 bridge components.
According to him, the completion of the project would be in sections as there are several obstacles hindering speeding completion.
He said, “The cost is N797.236bn, right now, we have certified N296bn. Gross percentage completion is about 22.41 per cent and I will address that later, because the drag is on the Abuja-Kaduna section.
“There are three sections. For example, if you have somebody performing at 90 per cent in one place, 80 per cent in one place and a lower percentage in another place, if you calculate it all, it will go down all.
“We are now trying to ramp-up on the Abuja-Zaria which is the most difficult part and it is the longest part.
“That is where you have a lot of trucks, trailers on the way. We have to relocate them. That is the most densely occupied part. We have to relocate cable utility lines, we have to relocate communities settling there.
“The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline of the NNPC also crosses the road somewhere in that section. So we have to wait for them to do their crossing instead of building the road and then cut it again.”
He further noted that 1,500 Nigerians use the route on a daily basis to earn their living.
On the construction and expansion of the Lagos Shagamu-Ibadan dual carriageway section II in Oyo State, Fashola said the project is currently at 69 per cent completion level.
According to him, the project cost N176bn and the certified sum is N123.8bn.