Level Of Work On Bodo-Bonny Road

The Federal Government says the Bodo, Opobo and Bonny road project under construction was almost the biggest project being undertaken by the President MuhammaduBuhari-led administration across the country with about N200billion committed to the execution of the project.
The government also lauded the progress of work done so far on the project by the constructing firm, Julius Berger Nigeria Limited.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola stated this when he paid an inspection visit to the project site, yesterday.
The inspection was designed to ascertain the level of work done so far on the on-going Bodo-Bonny Road project comprising the construction of 37.9km single carriageway with major and mini bridges spanning about 300meters in length.
The inspection terminated at the Ataba section of the project in Andoni creek of the Rivers State.
Fashola said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring that the project was delivered and completed as approved, saying that funding was not a problem.
According to him, one out of the three major bridges and four mini bridges have been completed, adding that massive engineering work was ongoing across the project site.
The minister averred that the Federal Government was investing almost N200billion on the project, adding that when the project is complete, it would improve the fortunes of the people, communities, state and the country at large.
He described the project as historic and memorable, noting that the project was conceived since 1980, before the present administration took bold steps to commence construction,adding that he was elated to ride on the road from Bodo to the Ataba creek.
“It is a tremendous thing, so historic and memorable to see that the people of Bodo, Ataba and Bonny will be linked by road. I must commend President MuhammaduBuhari for leading the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to approve this road project which is almost the highest project being executed by the Federal Government.
“Funding is not a problem, so, we shall go back to see where we lost time and increase our manpower and technology to make up the lost period. We are striving to ensure that the project is delivered as scheduled for 2022 deadline”, he stated.
Fashola used the opportunity to thank the NLNG for its role in the execution of the project through the tax waiver policy of the Federal Government.
He also lauded all the host communities for their role in ensuring that the project succeeded, even as he assured the Ataba community that the request of linking the road to their community would be done when the major road was completed.
Also speaking on behalf of the engineers handling the project, Engr E. U. Udoh, who gave a summary of the project, said the road has three major bridges at Afa creek, with 502metres long at Opobo channel bridge, 1.198metres long, Nanbeie creek bridge 782m long, one pipeline crossing bridge, 204metres long, while the nine mini bridges have a total of 348metre length.
He disclosed that the project has provided 659 direct jobs and 182 indirect jobs to both host communities and other youths from the country, adding that the completed stretch of the road has provided easy access for the residents to their farms, schools and health centres as well as reduced travel time and costto Afa creek jetty.
Also speaking, the Okanma of Ataba community, Chief Benson Egwenre, expressed happiness with the ongoing project being executed by the Federal Government, adding that the road would impact and improve both economic and living conditions of host communities.
The monarch while commending the Federal Government over the huge project, appealed for the extension of the roadtoAtaba community.

By: Akujobi Amadi