The Nigerian government has approved the opening of the 2nd Niger Bridge to traffic from December 15, 2022, to January 15, 2023, to ease human, goods, services and vehicular movements during this period from the Western part of the country to the Eastern.
Nigeria’s Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), disclosed this while presiding over the 2023 Ember Month Programme with stakeholders on Road sector, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Fashola said: “Let me be clear again .We haven’t finished construction work but we would open it for people to use to relieve the pressure from the old bridge. It wouldn’t be available for heavy duty trucks. It would only be small vehicles for now until we finish our work. On the 15th of January 2023 we would reverse that movement for those coming from the east to the west. We have told all the contractors that they shouldn’t open any sections of Federal roads for construction during the yuletide. That means that there shouldn’t be any barrier on the roads this season.”
According to the Minister the impact of the Second Niger Bridge arrangement would also be felt on the Abuja-Kano Road and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where the contractors handling the projects have been asked to remove the barriers and diversions restricting traffic flow for the period of the festivities.
“The reason why we divert is that we cannot build a 100 km road at once. So we close sections of five, six to 10 kilometres on one side and divert traffic to the other side so that we can complete it. Once we open that road, that section is completed and we open it to traffic”, the Minister explained, adding that the Director in charge of
Construction and Rehabilitation had sent the message to all his Controllers and all the contractors to pass the message to their staff.
“Don’t open up for construction of any new sections anymore, by 15th of December, remove the barriers, provide signage, reflective signs and flood lights to guide people through so that it is a free passage”. Fashola said.
Fashola further stated that to him, on Abuja-Kano, from Kaduna to Zaria there will be no diversions at all. And from Zaria to Kano, which is over 130 km, there will be only one diversion. And from Abuja to Kaduna, which is about 165 km there are going to be four diversions. So, from Abuja to Kano, which is 365 km, there are going to be only five diversions.
The representative of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry and Director Highways Planning and Development, Chukwunwike Uzor, in his remarks, stated that the essence of the ember months meeting was to sensitise road users and other stakeholders towards having a successful road passage.
The Director South-West, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr. Adedamola Kuti highlighted all the critical roads across the six geo political zones of the country under the Ministry, pointing out the ministry’s efforts made so far to put the Roads in good condition towards having good travelling experience during the ember months.
According to him “All controllers of works have been directed to remove construction barriers as from the 15th of December 2022 on the roads for road users to have seamless driving during the festive period.” he stressed.
The Managing Director, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Mr. Nuruddeen Rafindadi, said FERMA has identified some selected locations within 17 corridors where the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency is having interventions across the country presently in working relationship with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
The representative of the Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Assistant Corps Marshal Rindom Kumven said, ’’All Federal Road Safety Commands have been directed to collaborate with stakeholders and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to implement presidential directive on road infrastructure and we have flagged off the ember months sensitization in all the state commands to create awareness among the motoring public in order to have hitch free traffic movement during the ember months. “
The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners represented by Kassim Ibrahim, appreciated the Ministry of Works and Housing and its Agencies for making the roads better, saying the Association will ensure to put the roads into order.
He drew the attention of the ministry to the activities of some cement companies that ply the roads with overweight cargos.
Also, the Second Deputy Chairman of the Petroleum Tankers Drivers, Comrade Peter Mudesola, commended, disclosing the roads are getting better.
The Managing Director of Mothercat Nigeria Limited, Jark Najjar and the Marketing Manager of CGC Nigeria Limited, Engr. Kevin Jian with all other road contractors at the event thanked the ministry for financing their operations through regular special funds and budgets. They expressed their readiness to make the roads safe during the yuletide.
Olusola Akintonde
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