NIGERIA’s President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the release of N30 billion from the SURE-P fund to
finance the Loko-Oweto Bridge project linking Benue and Nasarawa states.
The Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, disclosed this on Tuesday during an inspection visit to the project site at Loko community on the Nasarawa State side of the River Benue.
Onolememen told newsmen that the second Niger Bridge, whose construction would commence soon, would also benefit from the SURE-P fund.
“Funding of this project will not be a problem because the funding plan is well thought out,” he said.
He expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the 2,055 m Loko-Oweto Bridge project awarded to Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) on Nov. 2, 2011, at the cost of N36 billion.
He said that the project would be delivered before the target date of Nov. 30, 2015, if the tempo of work was sustained.
The minister noted that at the current 20 per cent completion stage of the bridge cutting across River Benue was well ahead of the work schedule.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bridge would link Loko in Nasarawa state to Oweto in Benue when completed.
Onolememen said that the present administration was determined to deliver the project and the second Niger Bridge before the end of 2015 in fulfilment of its campaign promise.
“As you can see, massive construction work is ongoing. So far, the contractor has been able to cast 115 piers and are working simultaneously on 15 piers, well ahead of the work schedule.
“If the pace continues, the project would be completed before the end of the 48 duration,” he said.
Listing its socio-economic benefits to the country, Onolememen said it would reduce pressure on the Lokoja Bridge and provide alternative to travellers between the Federal Capital Territory and the South East/South South parts of the country.
“It will also help to reduce the travel time between the North Central and South Eastern/South Southern parts of the country by at least two hours.
“The bridge will also open up both Loko and Oweto communities on both sides of the River Benue.
“Don’t forget that the approach route from Keffi in Nasarawa State to the bridge at Loko and the approach route from the Oweto end to Otukpo in Benue are parts of the project.
“Once you are at Otukpo, you are already in South Eastern Nigeria. So, once the project comes on stream the challenges we have on the Niger Bridge in Lokoja will be solved,” he said.
Mr Emmanuel Ijeh, the representative of engineers at the project site, expressed satisfaction with labour and equipment returns at the site.
Ijeh, who conducted the minister round the site, applauded the quality of work so far done on the project, adding that both the contractor and the supervising consultant were fully on site.
A NAN reporter on the minister’s entourage reports that construction workers and equipment were busy at the site at the time of the minister’s visit.