President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration decided to build the Second Niger Bridge to open the South East region to business opportunities.
OsunDaily News reports that Buhari stated this on Tuesday during the official commissioning and handover of the legacy project renamed after him.
The President described the project as a choice bridge and a reality, adding that it was among numerous infrastructural projects his administration completed nationwide.
Buhari remarked that the bridge would equally serve as means of connectivity, interaction, and integration between communities, regions, and states.
He said: “It will reduce travel time, improve business efficiency, timeliness, and service delivery. I declare them open for public use. They were funded from recovered assets and others. Our anti-corruption drive is yielding positive results.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said the Southern part of Nigeria would remember the Buhari-led administration as the project will reduce the cost of governance and transportation as well.
Recall that in December 2022, the government temporarily opened the bridge to ease festive season traffic in the southeast region.
The bridge was in operation for a month, closing on January 15, 2023, to allow for the completion of the Loko-Oweto Bridge and the connecting roads between Benue and Nasarawa states.
As of May 15, the bridge was fully accessible to motorists. Some finishing touches, such as lane markings, were still in progress at the time.
