[size=14pt]FEC approves N325 million contract for second Niger Bridge[/size]



The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the contract for the designing, building, financing and operation of the second Niger Bridge linking Anambra and Delta states under the private partnership scheme.

The consultancy contract for the final planning and design of the second Niger Bridge will cost N325 million.

Briefing state house correspondents on the contract, the Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolemehinme said that the bridge forms a major link between the South-east and the South-west sub regions of the country.

He noted that the Federal Government is concerned about the challenges the old Niger Bridge has posed to road users on the route and expressed the government’s desire to take immediate action by constructing a second Niger bridge that will ease traffic on the axis.

Also approved is contract for the dualisation of the Kano-Maiduguri road, Section Two, at the cost of N8.3 million to complement the development effort of the Jigawa state government.

President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have received a report by the Jigawa state governor on the need to extend the road from Dutse – the capital of Jigawa state to the some part of the Kano-Maiduguri expressway, an extension of about 24.2 km.

The governor is building an airport and some housing estates there, hence the need for the dualisation of the Kano-Maiduguri expressway.

The council also approved the expansion of the 2.8 KM dual carriage road connecting the Apakun-Murtala Mohammed Airport road to a modern eight lane that will provide smooth movement of traffic. The contract was approved at N297million.

The expansion of the Airport road was one of the key campaign pledges made by President Goodluck Jonathan during his election campaigns in Lagos ahead of the 2011 presidential election.

While the Minister of Works asserted that the Jonathan administration has taken a firm step to deliver on the Onitsha Bridge, he also added that the importance of the Murtala Muhammed Airport road can cannot be underestimated, noting that the road which has been in a state of disrepair will be re-designed to eight lanes.

Malawian: That bridge can be designed for zero naira! All they needed to do was invite a rash of reputable construction giants to tender for the bridge. The FG could have even made money instead by collecting tender fees, and open tendering (which must include architectural and structural designs) would have driven the price of the final construction down since they were all competing for the same contract.

Kobojunkie: WOW . . . a $2 million dollar Bridge?

I wonder how much the bridge will cost in the end.

Malawian: @ Deshclones, i dey vex with you so. Na you and who be Yoruba? I am an igbo from oraukwu anambra state! Both my parent are from the same town, so i am not even half igbo! Abeg o. You can tell a Yoruba from afar, all you need do is follow their cowardly stench. Kpachalu anya o. Achikwa mu ogu.

sheyguy: N328m? Is it going be a wooden brigde?

deshclones:

Ezigbo nwanne m..biko gbaghara...a kam asi..no wonder i ji nwee brain....guess ur name sounded yaribaish..lol...am a true bonafide anambra man..my babe self is from oraukwu...ndi be anyachebelu....so i bu ma in-law...ndo...

sheyguy: N328m? Is it going be a wooden brigde?

Malawian: the N328m is not for the construction proper but for the engineering design. After an architect has drafted a plan, a structural engineer will still analyse and design the structure to withstand everything like wind load, dead and imposed load, amongst others. I am a structural engineer, and one of the ways to save money is by calling for bids and even charging for such bids. That is where the FG got it wrong. Rather than spend money to design, they could have made money by just looking at other bidder's designs and charging them to do so. Usually, the best and cost effective designs wins the construction job, and that is how the bidders make their own money. It also prevents them from overcharging for the project.

Malawian: the N328m is not for the construction proper but for the engineering design. After an architect has drafted a plan, a structural engineer will still analyse and design the structure to withstand everything like wind load, dead and imposed load, amongst others. I am a structural engineer, and one of the ways to save money is by calling for bids and even charging for such bids. That is where the FG got it wrong. Rather than spend money to design, they could have made money by just looking at other bidder's designs and charging them to do so. Usually, the best and cost effective designs wins the construction job, and that is how the bidders make their own money. It also prevents them from overcharging for the project.

approved the contract for the designing, building, financing and operation of the second Niger Bridge

Malawian: the N328m is not for the construction proper but for the engineering design. After an architect has drafted a plan, a structural engineer will still analyse and design the structure to withstand everything like wind load, dead and imposed load, amongst others. I am a structural engineer, and one of the ways to save money is by calling for bids and even charging for such bids. That is where the FG got it wrong. Rather than spend money to design, they could have made money by just looking at other bidder's designs and charging them to do so. Usually, the best and cost effective designs wins the construction job, and that is how the bidders make their own money. It also prevents them from overcharging for the project.

sheyguy: N328m? Is it going be a wooden brigde?

sheyguy: N328m? Is it going be a wooden brigde?

Obinoscopy: I'm not concerned about the fact that the contract has been awarded, afterall it had been awarded previously but later revoked. My concern is this: WHEN WILL THE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION COMMENCE AND WHEN IS THE ESTIMATED TIME/DATE OF COMPLETION?