Okonkwo Samuel
This is the 2.2km Loko-Oweto Bridge that connects Benue to Nassarawa (Both State in the North Central).
It was done and dusted without any noise and fanfare. It is also not tolled or levied.
The construction of this bridge started in 2011 and was completed and delivered in 2020. This Bridge is not in any form or manner tolled.
This Bridge is longer than the Second Niger Bridge that connects the South West and part of the South South to the south East.
I never saw any news in the media asking the indigenes of Benue and Nassarawa States to carry cows and Atilogwu dance to go and thank Goodluck Jonathan and Buhari for doing them a favor.
But, everyday human beings with grey matter in their cranium will always remind us to bow down and prostrate before Muhammadu Buhari for allowing the continuation of work on the a simple 1.6km Second Niger Bridge that will be tolled and levied.
The FGN and her private sector partners, who fund the construction of this Second Niger Bridge at an outrageously over-invoiced cost and padded budget plan when compared to the longer Loko-Oweto Bridge, will toll it to recover the cost of construction from us (the Igbos) plus the profit over a period of 30 years plus.
The Igbos for the most part and other Niger Bridge users will pay for the cost of this Bridge plus margin, via tolling, despite the fact that it was done with part of the oil and gas revenue from the Igbo State and taxes from this section of the country.
Source: InfoBytes
