President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday ordered the opening of the Second Niger Bridge for use with effect from midnight on Thursday (today).
Speaking through the minister of works and housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola during the commissioning the bridge for use for one month during the yuletide, the president cautioned road users to drive safely and responsibly during the period.
Buhari said the purpose of building the bridge is to save lives and alleviate poverty occasioned by waste of man-hours resulting from gridlock on the first bridge.
He said it would be counterproductive if the users would become reckless and attract unnecessary mishaps upon themselves.
“The maximum speed limit on Nigerian roads is 100km per hour. Don’t drive 101km per hour. The president will be happy to see users drive safely and responsibly while using this road, especially during this Christmas and new year seasons. The president wishes you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year,” Fashola said.
Furthermore, Fashola said the bridge would be officially opened by 12.01 am on Thursday, December 15 till January 15, 2023.
“The president approved that since the bridge is finished that we should create an access road so that during Christmas you can begin to experience what it would feel like plying the bridge.
“It would be open for traffic going from the west to the east from the 15th Dec, 2022- 15th January 2023.
“Let me be clear again; we haven’t finished construction work on the bridge but we would open it for people to use to relieve the pressure from the one bridge.
“On the 15th January, we would reverse that movement for those coming from the east to the west,” Fashola added.
