On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Second Niger Bridge, receiving accolades from various prominent individuals from the South East zone, such as Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Chris Ngige, and Senator Hope Uzodinma.
The inauguration was performed virtually from Aso Villa, Abuja, and the bridge was opened for motorists plying through Asaba in Delta State to Onitsha in Anambra State.
In his speech before the inauguration, the President expressed his delight at providing the bridge and said that it would promote economic growth for the people. He acknowledged the challenge of rising from poverty when infrastructure investment is lacking, emphasizing his administration’s focus on the well-being of the masses.
“The Second Niger Bridge is now a reality and 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.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, who attended the commissioning ceremony, lauded the bridge as a symbolic development story. He also hinted that the bridge might have been named after President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The Muhammadu Buhari 2nd Niger Bridge is a story of 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,” Fashola said.
Many prominent Igbo individuals expressed delight in the commissioning of the bridge. Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, described it as a fundamental change that would catalyze waves of prosperity and economic growth in the South-East region. He stated that he personally advocated for infrastructural development, and thanked Buhari and his administration for delivering on their promise.
Meanwhile, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State commended Buhari for completing the Second Niger Bridge and other infrastructural projects despite the people of the region not voting for the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“We have pleaded with many governments for years, yet these projects were not done. The poor state of the First Niger Bridge made it difficult for people returning home for festivities to reach their destinations in good time for Christmas and other occasions. We thank President Buhari for delivering on these projects even though we did not vote for him. He is a hero to me and the people of South-East,” Uzodinma said.
Senator Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, also praised Buhari’s administration, claiming that people in Southern Nigeria would remember this historic milestone as a significant step in reducing the cost of governance and transportation.
