N51bn Loko-Oweto bridge ready in May — official

The 1.8 kilometres Loko-Oweto bridge, constructed at the cost of N51 billion, will be ready in May, according to Mr Dayyabu Mamman, Director of Highways (North-Central Zone), Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. “Work on the project is 93 per cent completed; the bridge will be ready and handed over to the Federal Government […]

The 1.8 kilometres Loko-Oweto bridge, constructed at the cost of N51 billion, will be ready in May, according to Mr Dayyabu Mamman, Director of Highways (North-Central Zone), Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

“Work on the project is 93 per cent completed; the bridge will be ready and handed over to the Federal Government for inauguration in May,” Mamman said o Saturday, when he led a delegation on an inspection of federal roads in the state.

Mamman said that the bridge, whose construction was awarded to Reynolds Construction Company in 2011, would connect Benue with Nasarawa State.

He said that the construction of the bridge was expected to be completed within 48 months, but was later extended to 84 months.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who covered the inspection tour, also quoted Mr Celestine Shausu, Federal Controller of Works, Benue State, as saying that the 103 km Otukpo-Apa-Oweto road was ready for  inauguration.

Shausu explained that the road, which is in two phases, was started in 2011 with the Benue Government constructing 50 km from Otukpo to Iga-Opkaya, before the federal government took over its rehabilitation.

He said that the remaining 53 km, which was awarded to CGC Nigeria Limited in 2014 at the cost of N7.9 billion, was completed and awaiting inauguration, and expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done by the contractor.

Speaking to newsmen, the Project Manager of CGC Nigeria Limited, Mr Li Wei, said that the road project was ready for inauguration, adding that all payments had been completed. (NAN)