PUNCH NEWS

The Rivers State Executive Council has approved the award of two contracts for the construction of two more flyover bridges in Port Harcourt at the cost of N12.4bn.

One of the flyover bridges will be at the intersection of the Olu-Obasanjo Road and the Port Harcourt Aba Expressway, popularly called Waterlines junction, and it will be 800 metres long.

The Special Assistant to the Governor, Kelvin Ebiri, said in a statement that the council gave the approval at its meeting presided over by Governor Nyesom Wike at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

The statement said the second flyover would be at the intersection of the Olu-Obasanjo Road and Ikwerre Road up to the Azikiwe Street and would be one kilometre long.

The Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the approval was sequel to two memos his ministry presented to the council on the need for the construction of the flyovers.

He said, “The memos were approved and consequently the Government of Rivers State will be awarding two contracts to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc for the construction of the two flyovers.

“One of them will be at the intersection of the Olu-Obasanjo Road on the Port Harcourt/Aba Expressway. That bridge will be about 800 metres long.

“The other flyover bridge will be constructed at the intersection of the Ikwerre Road, where you have the Olu-Obasanjo Road and Azikiwe Street, and it will be one kilometre long. Both projects will come at a combined cost of about N12.4bn.”

The commissioners said the construction of the flyover bridges became necessary because of present and foreseeable traffic difficulties that motorists would suffer.