The Politics of 2nd Niger Bridge.

The Politics of 2nd Niger Bridge.

According to sources, this project will cost N117 billion naira. Federal government will only contribute N30 billion naira. Julius Berger and other business consortium will contribute the rest. In return, they will build a toll gate and collect money from commuters for 25years. The construction will take 48 months.

Questions:

1.Why is the President starting this bridge construction now, less than a year to another general election, if not to use it as another ploy for South East votes? If he had Igbo interest at heart, why didn’t he start this project since 2011 when he won his first presidential election? Why wait till towards the end of his first tenure?

2.Compare the federal government contribution of (N30 billion naira, that is N7.5 billion naira yearly in 4 years) to a project that would last 48 months, to an allocations in the 2014 budget for Niger Delta militants alone. "(A)Stipends and Allowances to 30,000 Niger Delta Militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme: N23.6 Billion (twenty three billion, six hundred million Naira). (B)Reintegration of Transformed Ex Militants: N35.4 Billion (Thirty Five Billion, Four Hundred Million Naira)"

Federal government under Goodluck Jonathan budgeted N59 billion naira alone in 2014 for about 30,000 Niger Delta Militants, but the same federal government is only willing to contribute N7.5 billion yearly for a bridge that would benefit
Over 30 million user (mainly Igbos).

3.With toll collections, life would be more difficult in the South East. Inflation will rise, cost of living would go up. Imagine a bus driver plying Onitsha to Asaba daily, he would have to pay each time he crosses the bridge. To achieve a balance, the federal government should build a toll gate on the 3rd mainland bridge which is about 11 kilometres and other bridges. Note: the 2nd Niger Bridge will be 1.8 kilometres long.

4.The Igbos are building this bridge indirectly since they will pay toll to use it.

Precedents:

No government (federal, state, or local government) project(s) has ever been concluded according to original plan and time. This cannot be an exception. Therefore President Goodluck doesn’t intend to complete this project during his tenure, that is if he wins the next election.

Conclusion:

Online protest continues. For details of this protest visit http://www.southeastnigeriavotes.org and https://www.facebook.com/NoProjectsNoActionsNoSouthEastVo...

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