By Bukola Olasanmi
The Federal Government has announced that those intending to use the recently opened Second Niger Bridge will pay a toll.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the road will remain open till January 1 for inward travelers, and for those on outward journey from January 2 to 15.
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The bridge will be shut after January 15.
Fashola said this in an interview on Channels Television.
“Infrastructure is one of the instruments for economic growth and tackling multidimensional poverty.
“The purpose of the second Niger Bridge is to bring relief to Nigerians who traverse from East to West or West to East.
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“Especially during the end of the year, we know that it is a logistics nightmare moving goods and services and people.
“The bridge itself is finished. The road linking it to the Obosi end on the Anambra side is finished, except for the interchange which is at different levels of completion. The road linking it to the Asaba side is the one that we could not finish.
“We know that it is a festive period; the ports are busy, sea and airports. The roads will also be busy. As part of the ember month plan, we decided to open it up and provide a choice for people (to either use the old bridge or the new one). We expect that it will relieve the inconvenience at this time of the year,” he said.