Work has progressed rea­sonably on the second Niger Bridge which Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Bab­tunde Fashola, said Tuesday must be completed in February 2022 as promised earlier by the Federal Government.

On inspection of the project, Fashola said that work on the bridge is at 80 percent comple­tion.

He also said that work on the Owerri inter-change which connects the bridge to Onit­sha-Owerri Expressway was at 70 percent completion.

This was also echoed by the Federal Controller of Works, Mr. Adeyemo Ajani, who said that work on the entire project was 70 percent completed.

The interchange from the bridge is 7.3 kilometres.

Visibly impressed Fashola assured that by February next year the entire length of the bridge would be connected so that the project would be finished with revised budget.

The second Niger Bridge was awarded in 2018 at the cost of N206 billion.

The previous time Fasho­la visited, sands were merely pilled on the road making it virtually impassable.

But by Tuesday, the minis­ter plied the road close to the bridge.

Earlier, the minister in­spected progress of work at the Federal Secretariat, Awka, which he said has over 400 of­fices.

Fashola said October was slated for completion of the project.

He stressed, however, that progress of work depended on mobilisation of the con­tractor.

(Daily Independent)