The Second Niger Bridge constructed by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will officially be opened on Thursday, at midnight.
Newsonline reports that the second Niger bridge which is to serve as an alternative to the first bridge constructed by colonial administration connects the Eastern region to the Western region of Nigeria.
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this while on a work tour on the bridge on Wednesday.
READ ALSO: Despite Worsened Hunger, Insecurity, Buhari Boasts He Has Done His Best For Nigeria
The former Lagos State governor said the commitment shown by President Buhari in finishing the second Niger bridge showed his desire to address infrastructural deficit and poverty.
Fashola said years after several administrations had made, failed promises of constructing the second Niger bridge Buhari administration has addressed economic problems caused by traffic gridlock as a result of using only the first bridge.
While giving information on source of financing, Fashola said money from loots repatriated from the United States and other repatriated loots were used to finance the bridge construction.
He said the second Niger bridge will help to solve issues of poverty caused by uneasy movement of goods and services in and out of South East.
Fashola, however, warned commuters that the bridge which should serve economic purpose for the region can be unproductive if they do not adhere to road use instructions.
The Minster of Works said, “the bridge would be officially opened by 12:01 am on Thursday, December 15, 2022, to January 15, 2023.
He added, “A lot of people have talked about a solution but the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration decided to build the bridge whatever it took. So, wherever the funds came from, investment income, from our oil assets, repatriation of some funds that were stolen out of Nigeria came in from the US.
“The result is now what we see. When people are talking about poverty, the biggest part of it is not the monetary poverty, is the multidimensional poverty.
“When you spend two to three days trying to cross a bridge, that’s poverty, because it should take just a few minutes so that you can go and do more productive things.
“The President approved that since the bridge is finished that we should create an access road so that during Christmas you can begin to experience what it would feel like plying the bridge.”
Fashola further advised, “The maximum speed limit on Nigerian roads is 100km per hour. Don’t drive 101km per hour. The President will be happy to see users drive safely and responsibly while using this road, especially during this Christmas and New Year seasons. The President wishes you a merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”
