President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday inaugurated the Second
Niger Bridge, amid encomium from many prominent Igbo indigenes of the South
East zone, including Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Chris Ngige, Senator Hope Uzodinma,
among others.
Buhari performed the inauguration virtually from Aso Villa
in Abuja, the nation’s capital, opening it to motorists plying through Asaba in
Delta State to Onitsha in Anambra State.
The President in his address before the inauguration
expressed delight at being able to provide the bridge, saying that it will
promote economic growth for the people.
He said: “Getting out of poverty is much more difficult
without infrastructure investment. This reflects our administration’s emphasis
on the well-being of the people.
“The Second Niger Bridge is now a reality, and it will
provide business efficiency and service in a timely manner.
“It is my distinct honor to open the bridge to the public.
This is an example of the long-term change that we promised,” President Buhari
said.
Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola who
was at the commissioning ceremony described the bridge as the story of
development, while also giving the hint that the bridge may have been named
after President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said: “The Muhammadu Buhari 2nd Niger Bridge is a story
about how Buhari’s policies meet people where they are, how travel time has
been reduced by half, and how multi-dimensional poverty has been pushed back.”
Meanwhile, there was joy among many prominent Igbo
individuals yesterday, over the commissioning of the bridge.
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, described the
commissioning of the Second Niger Bridge as a fundamental change that will
catalyze new waves of prosperity and economic growth in the South-East region.
Soludo stated that he was personally overjoyed because the
people of the South East have long advocated for infrastructural development.
He said: “President Buhari, the South-East will remember you
as you leave office. It will not be a mistake to refer to the Minister of
Works, Babatunde Fashola, as “Mr. Infrastructure.” This is indeed a fulfilled
promise. We express our heartfelt gratitude for connecting Anambra, Asaba, and
Delta.”
Also, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, hailed Buhari for
completing the Second Niger Bridge and other infrastructural projects in South
East region despite that the people failed to vote for the ruling All
Progressive Congress (APC).
“We have cried to many governments for years yet the projects
were not done. The state of the First Niger Bridge makes it difficult for our
people returning for Christmas and other festivities to sometimes spend five
days or more on the road.
“We thank President Buhari for delivering the projects even
though he begged for our votes but we didn’t give him our votes. He is a hero
to me and people of South East,” he maintained.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige in
his own address said that the Southern part of Nigeria would remember the
Buhari’s administration, as the projects would reduce the cost of governance
and transportation as well.
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