By Our Correspondent
The Rivers State Executive Council has approved two contracts for construction of two additional flyovers in Port Harcourt City at the cost of N12.4 bn.
It was gathered one of the flyovers would be sited at the intersection of Olu-Obasanjo road and Port Harcourt Aba Expressway popularly called Waterlines Junction at 800 meters long.
The second flyover would be located at the intersection of Olu-Obasanjo and Ikwerre Road up to the Azikiwe Street at 1km long.
A statement by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said the council gave the approval on Wednesday at its meeting presided over by Governor Nyesom Wike at the banquet hall of Government House, Port Harcourt.
The Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, 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 the Julius Berger Nigeria PLC for the construction of two flyovers.
“One of them will be at the intersection of Olu-Obasanjo Road on Port Harcourt Aba Expressway. That bridge will be about 800 meters long.
“The other flyover bridge will be constructed at the intersection of Ikwerre Road where you have Olu-Obasanjo and Azikiwe Street and it will be I km long. Both projects will come at a combined cost of about N12.4bn.”
The commissioners said the construction of the flyovers became necessary because of present and foreseeable traffic difficulties in the areas.
Tasie-Amadi said already the flow of traffic from the soon-to-be-completed GRA flyover and the Rebisi flyover had lock jams at the Waterlines Junction on Port Harcourt -Aba Expressway.
Commissioner for information and communications, Paulinus Nsirim said the approval for the two additional flyovers was historic and gave further impetus to the urban renewal programme of the Wike’s administration.
He said the administration of Wike was forward-looking in designing projects that would make Rivers the destination of choice for prospective investors.
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