Fashola: Nigeria-Cameroon Bridge Will Facilitate Inter-country Trade

Emmanuel Addeh

The border bridge at Mfum and the Ikom bridge between Nigeria and Cameroon will facilitate international trade between the two countries when inaugurated, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said.

Fashola made the remark while inspecting the two-lane bridge over the Cross River at the Cameroon and the Nigeria new border at Ekok /Mfum and the new Ikom bridge.

The minister explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration’s strategy of planning and execution of infrastructure projects was yielding results through successful completion.

“This is the A-4 axis coming from Calabar to Maiduguri through Ogoja to Katsina-Ala. So you will expect more volume of trade. And it is no accident that Cross River State bears its name. It is actually the River that named the state. That River opens to the sea and the Gulf of Guinea. And so high impact on international trade is expected.

“We have had very strong relationship with Cameroon in terms of trade and business and if you go to Aba, Enugu, Abakaliki, for example, this is the route that facilitates trade, agro produce, merchandise, manufactured goods from Aba in Abia State.

“This is a very strategic infrastructure to take Nigeria to the future for many more decades to facilitate relationship between brothers and sisters in Cameroon and Nigeria and to strengthen the bond of relationship in a joint development with the Republic of Cameroon and Nigeria, ”Fashola said.

He added that the bridges would increase the prosperity of the people, facilitate hundreds of jobs, movement of agro produce and manufactured goods, joint border patrol that would lead to security efficiency and position both nations to take the benefit of the free trade zone agreement.

In his remarks, Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Works, Dane Osimasu, assured that counterpart funding from the state would always be provided where it is necessary in infrastructure development projects.

Also, Director, Highway Bridges and Design, Mr. Emmanuel Adeoye said the project was awarded in October 2018 and it is due to be completed by November 7, 2021.

“The rate at which the contractor is working, by the end of October it should be finished. Right now as we speak, the job is 92 per cent completed, with the time lapse of 68 per cent. We are moving faster than the scheduled time, so by end of October we should be done with the bridge.”

A representative of the Ajassor community, Victor Njor, said the border bridge has enhanced joint border patrol linking Cameroon and Nigeria within the area.