Ikom Bridge
How $35.8m Mfum, N8.9bn Ikom bridges will boost Nigeria, Cross River economies – Fashola
[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, SAN has explained the huge investments in two bridges in Cross River State and how it will boost the economy.
Fashola said the $35.8 million Mfun Border Bridge will open up the economy of the country and facilitate the ACFTZA trade between Nigeria and Cameroon.
On the other hand, the N8.9 billion Ikom Bridge will facilitate trade between the North and southern part of the state.
The Minister made this known this week while inspecting the level of works done on both bridges.
Fashola said: “The old Mfum bridge was constructed I. The 60s with steel and is over four decades old.
“The new Mfum bridge which has a border post will help unlock the economy of the country and boost trade through the ACFTZA”, he said.
On Ikom Bridge, the Minister explained that “People had problem at night and at times it caused accidents so we decided to build a new bridge at Ikom to prevent accidents, provide navigation through the sea and carry heavy load.
“The old Ikom Bridge had very low headroom and so some big vessels and trucks could not evacuate to Calabar and you can see in some places there has been some damage to some headroom so this bridge solves that problem.
“You will expect to see more trade coming to Calabar because this is the A4 axis from Calabar to Maiduguri through Ogoja to Katsina Ala”, he said.
He added that the old brides in Ikom and Mfum will not be removed but rehabilitated in line with the mandate of the president to rehabilitate old bridges and construct new ones.
He appealed to the people of the state to prevail on their representatives to approve more money to the ministry to complete these projects in the 2022 budget because that is the oxygen the ministry needs to function.
He equally commended the federal controller of works in the state Nsentip Bassey for being top of his game and effectively supervising the projects.
On his part, Henry Nkom Etuk the Chairman of Etung LGA commended the president for building the project in the area saying it will open up trade.
ORACLE Today understands that the 35.8 million dollars Mfum Border bridge is jointly financed by the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments while the Ikom Bridge is largely financed from the SUKUK loan.
