oboy3:
President Goodluck Jonathan has promised
to go on exile if he fails to build the Second
Niger Bridge before completing his term in
2015.
The Nigerian leader made the promise in his
remarks at a Town Hall Meeting held
yesterday in the commercial city of Onitsha
as part of activities marking his one-day visit
to Anambra State. During the visit, Jonathan
commissioned several projects, including
the oil production facilities of Orient
Petroleum at Aguleri, the massive SABMiller
Brewery at Onitsha and the Chukwuemeka
Odumegwu-Ojukwu Gateway in Onitsha.
The issue of Second Niger Bridge naturally
came up during the Town Hall Meeting since
Jonathan had during his campaigns for the
2011 presidential ballot promised to
construct the bridge if elected President.
Experts have warned that the existing
bridge constructed in 1965 may collapse
any time in view of the heavy traffic.
Speaking yesterday at the Town Hall
Meeting, the Nigerian leader said that “when
the first bridge was built, it was during the
presidency of Nnamdi Azikiwe; the second
Niger bridge will be built under the
presidency of Azikiwe Jonathan.” To further
reassure the people, the President said he
would go on exile on the completion of his
term if he does not build the bridge.
To convince his audience that serious
efforts are being made to build the bridge,
invited Works Minister Mike Onolomemen
and Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo
Iweala to brief the people on what was
being done about the construction of the
bridge. Onolomemen reeled out the
technical details about the design of the
bridge and the companies bidding to
construct it, while Okonjo-Iweala unfolded
details about the financial arrangements
being made to construct the bridge.
At the end of the meeting, some of the
participants, among them businessman
Prince Arthur Eze were so thrilled that they
urged President Jonathan to seriously
consider seeking re-election in 2015.
*Photo (courtesy Afripol) shows President
Jonathan, flanked on the left by Governor
Peter Obi, waves at the crowd on his way to
Onitsha.
Source News Express
Posted 31/08/2012 07:52:44 AM

www.newsexpressngr.com/news/detail.php?news=234