Umahi: FG Saved N300bn from Redesign of Second Niger Bridge Bypass

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said that the federal government saved over N300 billion by redesigning a defect noticed two weeks ago on the Onitsha axis of the Second Niger Bridge bypass in South-east Nigeria.

Umahi, a statement from his spokesman, Uchenna Orji, said, also expressed his commitment to building lasting road infrastructure, with the most effective design at the lowest possible cost.

The minister spoke during an inspection visit  to the ongoing rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt  dual carriageway section IV (Aba-Port Harcourt) being handled  by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd( CCECC) at the weekend.

He highlighted the need for cost effectiveness, speed and high standard job delivery as well as innovations that would guarantee zero maintenance as well as durable road infrastructure in Nigeria.

 He urged  contractors  to  always consider the sufferings  of the road users as they  set up their  work plans, enjoining them to ensure that the roads are made passable  for commuters during  the rainy season.

On the section being  handled  by CCECC, he directed that in seven days, the upper bound lane should be totally repaired to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.

“I feel for them very highly. When you go through this road, you now need to take a number of painkillers. It’s not desirable. So I’m begging CCECC, the controller and engineers to do everything possible in the next seven days and create a smooth sail on this right hand side.

“…And just only two days back, with these leaders, we went to Asaba to look at the design of the bypass of the second Niger bridge, and we went to Onitsha. And by that singular movement, we saw that the design was defective and we agreed on a new kind of design. That was how we saved the country over N300 billion by that singular movement to that location,” he added.

Umahi also visited  the upgrading of the 15km section of the East-West road section III of the Port Harcourt-Eleme Junction to Onne Junction in Rivers State, handled  by the RCC, the rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway Section 3, Enugu- Lokpanta handled by CGC and the rehabilitation work at the collapsed bridge site at the New Artisan Bridge near NNPC mega filling station, Enugu State.

He expressed  satisfaction  with the job being  done, but charged contractors to step up their pace to cover a milestone ahead of the rainy season.

The stakeholders from South-east, who accompanied  the minister on the tour included the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and ex-Senate President, Senator Pius Anyim as well as a former National Publicity  Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief  Olisa Metuh.