Nwafor Okafor

Residents tackle Julius Berger over snail's pace of work on 2nd Niger Bridge


Residents of Onitsha and environs have protest snail's pace of work on the 2nd Niger Bridge.
They said the delay was causing them excruciating pains on daily basis

Speaking on the platform of Ndigbo Unity Forum, the protesters called on Julius Berger Construction Company handling the project to open up the Obosi end of the bridge to reduce the suffering of users of the Onitsha-Owerri road.

The group in a statement at the weekend in Onitsha, Anambra State said the company closed the Obosi bridge bypass end of the road and diverted the traffic to one side for almost two months, causing gridlock on the road and untold hardship to the people.

The group's statement signed by Dede Uzor, said the company had failed to live up to its contractual agreement in the handling of the 2nd Niger Bridge.

Uzor said, "The bypass was closed apparently to allow Julius Berger carry out construction work but unfortunately, for the past two months,no work was being done on that road.

"Julius Berger first gave December 2021 as the completion date of the bridge, then shifted it to February 2022 .

"At other time, they shifted the completion date to April 2022, now they have moved the goal post to October 2022"

Describing the continuous adjustment of completion date of the bridge as a sign of unseriousness on the part the construction company , NUf asked the Federal Government to put pressure on Julius Berger to complete the project once and for all on or before October this year for the overall interest of the generality of the people of NIgeria.

The group also asked the Federal Government to ensure that Julius Berger was funded as and when due to avoid some hitches on their part so as to meet the latest deadline of October,2022