Federal Government Approves $40m For Nigeria-Cameroon Link Bridge

The Federal Government has approved $3.9 billion (N12. 280 billion), sourced from the African Development Bank (ADB) for the construction of the Nigeria/Cameroon border link bridge at Ikot-Efiom in Cross River State.

The project is being funded under the bank’s support for improving relations between Cameroon and Nigeria following the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment, which ceded Bakassi to Cameroon.

The project covers ‎part of the ‎link road to between Enugu/Abakaliki highway, which is at an advanced stage of completion. It is also part of the larger Lagos/Mombasa highway.

Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) ‎meeting presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola disclosed that $38 million is for the construction contract while $1.9 million is for consultancy under the ADB procurement guidelines.

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Fashola said FEC also approved the resuscitation and completion of the 50-kilometre ‎Kaduna Eastern bypass highway, which was started in 2002 but has remained uncompleted 15 years after.

The project, which was originally designed to be completed ‎within three years, is a dual carriageway with nine bridges linking rivers and rail crossings.

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Also briefing newsmen, outgoing Minister of Environment, Mrs. Amina Mohammed announced the council’s approval for a new policy framework on environment.

The minister said the new policy, which was first formulated in 1997 and was revised twice, would address concerns such as climate change, coastal erosion, desertification, pollution and insecurity among others, which has been exacerbated by the struggles for environment resources.

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According to Mohammed, “What the policy does is to look at all the different inter-sectoral issues that we have whether it is with water, health, power agriculture and bring them in to have a multi-sectoral response.”

The council had earlier held a valedictory session where members eulogised Mohammed, who has been appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Moved by the encomium showered on her by colleagues, Mohammed fought hard to control her tears, as she expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for giving her the opportunity to serve the country in different capacities.