Government approves the construction of another bridge on River Benue

 Federal Executive Council

Government approves the construction of another bridge on River Benue
Lawan Hamidu, Abuja.

The Nigerian government has approved the sum of 36 billion Naira for the construction of another bridge on River Benue to link the South East, South-South and the North Central zones of the country.

When completed the Oju/Loko/ Oweto Bridge is expected to ease the traffic on Abuja - Lokoja and Akwanga-Lafiya roads.

The Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolomemen, told reporters after the Federal Executive Council Meeting in Abuja that the project, expected to be completed in four years, would ease movements of goods in the country.

“This approval is a mile stone in Government’s transformation drive in the transport sector as 90 percent of movement of goods and services in the country depended on road,” the Minister said.

Boost in marine operations

The council has also approved the sum of 270 million naira for the purchase of boats to the Nigeria Customs Service to boost its marine operation in tackling smuggling and increase revenue generation.

The council also directed the custom service to rehabilitate and renovate thirty boats as a way of increasing efficiency in service delivery.

The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Ahmad Lawan Ngama, said over the years, the Marine Unit of the Nigeria Customs had not been adequately equipped making it difficult to check various forms of unauthorized movement of goods along the country’s water ways and creeks.

“The 270 million Naira will cover the direct purchase of the two A30 Sea Princess Boats with back up spare parts and training of crew members of the Nigeria Custom Service,” Ngama said.

Also addressing the correspondents, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, revealed that the Council deliberated on the report of the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee on Dam Projects in the country.

It was gathered that Nigeria had more than 200 ongoing or completed dams across the country designed to generate 3,600 megawatts of electricity as well as capacity to irrigate 3.1 million farm lands.
 
“Also, we agreed that these Dam projects are very crucial for the nation. So we will do a roadmap on how we can address some of the issues to ensure that the on-going dam projects are completed because completing them will be very strategic for the development of Nigeria.” Mr Maku said.

Williams