Esther Komolafe
Contrary to all controversies about the possibility of it becoming a reality in 2022, the new Second Niger Bridge has been declared to be opened to traffic from December 15th, 2022.
Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, ordered the opening of the bridge, which is 95 percent completion stage, to ease traffic during the Yuletide.
Federal Controller of Works in Delta State, Mr. Jimoh Olawale, who made the disclosure in Asaba, however, said the bridge would be opened for only 30 days.
“As we know, during the Christmas celebration, commuters suffer hardship accessing the old Niger Bridge due to traffic jams but with this arrangement, traffic congestion on Asaba-Benin Expressway will ease.
“We have notified the state government of this arrangement and we are working with the Federal Roads Safety Corps to ensure a hitch-free vehicular movement.
“Motorists going towards Owerri direction would divert through the access road near the old Niger Bridge to the new bridge,” the controller added.
Olawale debunked claims by a group alleging that the Federal Government had abandoned the payment of compensation to property owners along the access road to the second Niger Bridge.
He explained that the government had not taken possession of any property along the 17-kilometer Okpanam-Ibusa-Asaba-Oko bypass to the new bridge, but only served notice that their structures were within the government’s right of way.
The controller assured that the modalities for payment of compensations were being worked out.
