The Federal Government, yesterday, disclosed that the Second Niger Bridge, which was billed for completion last month (February) but delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown and EndSARS protests, is already at 91 per cent completion.
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola made the disclosure at the weekly media briefing anchored by the Presidential Communications Team at the State House, Abuja. Held at the Council Chamber briefing room, the forum enabled the Minister to provide updates on key collaborations between the Federal and state governments on the implementation of some of the major reforms being executed by the Ministry and the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).
Fashola said no fewer than 1,486 people have been directly employed for the Second Niger Bridge, while another 8,110 indirect jobs have been created. He estimated the cost of three PIDF projects at N1.3 trillion, adding that the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway (375km) cost N797 billion, Second Niger Bridge (11.59km) gulped N206 billion, while the 127km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway cost N310 billion.
On when the projects will be completed, Fashola, who said the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Second Niger Bridge were on course, assured that the work will be completed this year, while the main Carriageway of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway is scheduled for completion by Q2 2023.
