President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to commission the 2nd Niger Bridge along with six other significant infrastructure projects across Nigeria.
The completion of these projects by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing is a testament to the government’s commitment to enhance and expand the country’s infrastructure network.
According to a statement released on Monday by Femi Adesina, the presidential spokesman, the inauguration of these projects underscores the administration’s determination to upgrade and strengthen the nation’s infrastructure.
The highlighted project in the commissioning ceremony will be the long-awaited 2nd Niger Bridge, which was originally conceptualized in 2005.
After an unsuccessful attempt to initiate the project through Public Private Partnership (PPP) in 2014, construction began in 2016 using the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).
In addition to the 2nd Niger Bridge, the other projects to be commissioned include the Loko-Oweto Bridge, connecting Benue to Nasarawa State over River Benue, the Ikom Bridge in Cross River State, and a completed section of the Kano-Kaduna Dual Carriage Expressway, covering over 200 kilometers.
Furthermore, three new Federal Secretariats will also be inaugurated.
The first Federal Secretariat, located in Awka, Anambra State, occupies a 5.106-hectare land area at the Executive Business District Layout, Awka South Local Government Area.
The project was initially awarded on December 9, 2011, and was practically completed and handed over to the Ministry of Works and Housing on July 14, 2022.
The Secretariat features 498 office spaces, a conference hall, four committee rooms, an exhibition hall, a banking hall, a post office, and a welcoming reception area. It also includes amenities such as lifts, well-designed parking spaces and drainages, a staff canteen, a fire hydrant, and other essential facilities.
The second Federal Secretariat, situated in Gusau, Zamfara State, covers 7.5 hectares of land at Unguwan Dan Lawan, off Sokoto By-Pass Road, Gusau. It was awarded on December 9 as well and was practically completed and handed over to the Ministry on November 30, 2022.
The third Federal Secretariat to be commissioned is located in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, occupying 7.5 hectares of land along Alamieyeseigha Road.
The project, awarded on December 9, 2011, was practically completed and taken over by the Ministry on November 30, 2022.
It is worth noting that President Buhari previously commissioned the Federal Secretariat Lafia, situated in Nasarawa State, in February of this year.
This latest round of inaugurations further demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure and fostering development across the country.