January 18, (THEWILL) — The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has assured that with the current pace of work on the Second Niger Bridge bypass, President Bola Tinubu is set to commission 50% of the project by April 20, 2026.
Umahi made this announcement over the weekend in Enugu during a press briefing following his inspection of federal infrastructure projects across the South-East.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the performance of the contractor, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), noting that the federal government would soon release an additional 20% payment to augment the 30% already paid, ensuring the April target is met.
“We went to see the job that CCCC is doing on the 17.5-kilometre bypass of the Second Niger Bridge. The project cost is approximately ₦179 billion, and they have done quite significant work,” Umahi said.
“There are two bridges and two flyovers involved, and they have done very well. We want to have 50% of that project commissioned by the President on April 20.”
Reiterating the administration’s commitment to the “Renewed Hope” infrastructure agenda, the Minister stated that the federal government is moving to install solar-powered streetlights and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras on all major highways. This initiative aims to enhance security and eliminate the need for physical police checkpoints.
Umahi revealed that a ₦480 million CCTV Monitoring Centre has already been commissioned for the Second Niger Bridge, with plans to extend the surveillance toward Asaba.
“Our commitment to deploying solar lights and CCTV is not limited to bridges; it is what we are going to have on all federal highways,” Umahi maintained.
“Once a road is completed, we deploy these technologies alongside security vehicles. This will remove police blockages on the roads, as our response time to any incident will be within five minutes.”
To support this new security architecture, the Ministry has provided two monitoring vehicles to the police and committed ₦3 million monthly for vehicle maintenance and personnel costs.
On the issue of environmental protection, the Minister announced a strict ban on all forms of mining within a 10-kilometre radius of any federal bridge nationwide.
The move is specifically aimed at protecting the structural integrity of the First and Second Niger Bridges.
“In line with the Federal Executive Council directive, there shall be no mining of any sort within a 10-kilometre radius of our bridges,” he explained.
Umahi added that the government will purchase specialized boats to patrol the waters and enforce compliance with the directive.
The Minister’s inspection tour is part of a broader “Action Year” for the Ministry of Works, aimed at fast-tracking the completion of legacy projects and improving road safety through technology-driven solutions.
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