The 35-kilometer long Bodo-Bonny road and bridge project will be the first link road between Bonny Island to the rest of Rivers State
It was started on 1st June 2017 as a co-founded project between the federal government to pay N60B and the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) to pay N60B, for completion period of five years.
The Nigerian Federal Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi had hosted a delegation from the Bodo–Bonny Road Peace Committee on Monday, December 5, 2023 for a meeting.
A press statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the minister, Uchenna Orji said the discussion highlighted some crucial aspects of the funding modalities in the partnership agreement that was signed in 2017 between the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works and Nigeria LNG (NLNG).
Umahi expressed concerns over the renewed stance of the contractor to seeking a variation of terms of the project when they had assured of not seeking such additional variations.
The minister therefore, ordered Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, the contractor handling the project, to return to site because the new deadline to deliver the project is now set for April 2024.
Umahi, who pointed to the urgency of the directive, explained that the project was initially awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc by President Mohammedu Buhari administration but the president Bola Tinubu administration is determined to complete it.
According to him, the project was awarded at a revised cost of N199b and the completion date was set for 31st December 2023.
Umahi noted that the project is already about 84 per cent complete, and it is crucial for the needed economic transformation of the South-South region.
“Nobody will hold this country to ransom if they cannot do it, another person will come and do it and finish it even better but the only charge I give to you is not to allow any equipment out of sight until they complete the project.
“No equipment must be allowed to be moved out of site, they must complete that project as agreed and as signed and nothing has removed that responsibility which they willingly on their own signed.
“Bobo-Bonny project was augmented to 199billion, I am told by the Ministry and NLNG Limited that there was a document signed by Julius Berger that the project cannot be varied which means that the project cost cannot be increased, the project is about 35 kilometers.
“I implore you, the Peace Committee, to report to me the progress that has been made on that road.”
