Construction Of Second Niger Bridge, Sounding Like They Are Doing Ndigbo A Favour

Construction Of Second Niger Bridge, Sounding Like They Are Doing Ndigbo A Favour 

Part 2

■ Author : Chinonso Igwebuike Mbah

■ Date : 28 Aug 2022 

■ Twitter:@umuchiukwu

Based on the funding structure of the bridge, the second Niger bridge was to be financed under a public-private partnership (PPP) with 60% of the funding coming from contractors, 20% from the federal government and 10% from the Anambra government and Delta State government.

Second Niger Bridge

According to Mr Doyin Okupe a formal aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, he has made what he called 15 revelations about the second niger bridge. 

In a message he titled Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Buhari and the people, Doyin Okupe revealed that the said bridge is not being constructed by the federal government of Nigeria, as it's a project being handled by PPP and the federal government is expected to contribute a tiny fraction, the bridge is said to cost #117 billion, the federal government of Nigeria is expected to contribute #30 billion, which Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration through Sure P paid #21.2 billion 71% including #7 billion for the completion of preparation work (phase1), work resumed at the site in 2013 and the bridge was to be completed in 2017, but when late Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015 he called on the contractors to suspend work at the bridge for 31 months, and the completion date got delayed.

Any Government fulfilling her primary responsibility towards their citizens is not doing them any favour, and the construction of the Second Niger bridge is not doing Ndigbo any favour, that mentality of applauding any Politician who obliged his campaign promises is wrong, for the avoidance of doubt the same bridge you are applauding late Muhammadu Buhari will be tolled, Ndigbo will have to pay for passing through that bridge, so how is that a favour to Ndigbo?

You are applauding a dead president who told you that the region that gave him a 5% vote should not expect anything from him.

It would be a loss of dignity and self-respect if Ndigbo resort to applauding corrupt politicians who are under hefty salaries and benefits for discharging their primary responsibilities and fulfilling campaign promises towards their constituents, we will lose the privilege to demand accountability if we continue to applaud and celebrate mediocrity. 

For decades we have failed to understand what our constitutional rights are, all we do is to celebrate the luxurious lifestyle of politicians who careless about us because of the peanuts they bring at the expense of our life.

It is the primary responsibility of the Government to building infrastructure, basic amenities and should not be seen as a favour, that is their job, they asked people to vote them in for the job they are delivering, these projects are not financed from their personal fund, it is taxpayers money and revenue generated from our natural resources that has been used to fund the projects, why then should people start applauding them, forgetting that the government must provide infrastructures for their citizens, the reverse should be the case, our politicians should be the ones applauding us for electing them into offices to serve the people, have you ever seen Americans applauding their Politicians for doing their job? 

Under Goodluck Ebele Jonathan's administration, infrastructures were built in the north, the northerners never applauded him because they understood the game of politics, rather they accused him and made several allegations against him and used underaged almajiris to rig him out of office, late Muhammadu Buhari's administration constructed a 2.2km bridge known as Loko Oweto bridge in Nassarawa state linking Benue state, there was no fanfare or news asking indigenes of Nassarawa or Benue state to applaud late Muhammadu Buhari for construction of a bridge that's longer than second Niger bridge, but here in AlaIgbo some grey cranium efulefu will always remind us to bow down and prostrate before late Muhammadu Buhari for allowing the continuation of work on a simple 1.6km  Bridge that will be tolled and levied.

This same Igbo efulefus want us to applaud a mediocre tribal bigot that brought nothing but poverty, killings, agony and suffering to Ndigbo, you can't deny the fact that the late Muhammadu Buhari's administration has spilled the blood of Ndigbo enough for Ndigbo to be bitter, Ndigbo wake up and stop applauding politicians for discharging their primary responsibilities because it's our right, building infrastructures for your citizens is never a favour but a duty that every politician must discharge.

Edited By Aguocha Chinwendum 

Published By Nwaiwu Chiukwuebuka

For Umuchukwu Writers .