The Federal Government has assured that the Muhammadu Buhari Bridge, aka the Second Niger Bridge, and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would be delivered in 2022.
Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this while featuring on the weekly Ministerial Briefing, organised by the Presidential Communication Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Fashola explained that the initial February completion date projection for the Second Niger Bridge failed due to the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown and EndSARS protests, adding that the project was already at 91% completion stage.
The briefing was to enable him to provide further updates on key collaborations between the Federal Government and the State Governments in the implementation of some of the major reforms being executed by the Ministry and the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).
According to him, 1,486 people have been directly employed for the Second Niger Bridge while another 8,110 indirect jobs have been created.
He put the cost of three major PIDF projects at N1.3 trillion.
The projects are Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway (375km): N797 billion, Second Niger Bridge (11.59km): N206 billion, and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (127km): N310 billion.
On when the projects will be completed, Fashola said that Lagos Ibadan Express Way and Second Niger Bridge are on course for completion in 2022 while the main Carriageway of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway is scheduled for completion by Q2 2023, adding that ancillary works will be completed later.
