Dire Need to Complete the Ibi Bridge Across River Benue
By Dahiru Suleiman Ibi
If Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts could raise an eyebrows on the lackadaisical attitudes in the non completion of the N1.4 billion road contracts on scheduled in Kaduna State to the extend of summoning the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Works and all parties involved to appear before it to clarify some issues to putting records straight, I see no reason why such investigation could not be extended on our elected Senators and Members from Taraba State to give reasons why N57 billion Ibi Bridge Project awarded in 2020 to RCC Construction was suddenly stopped and abandoned for over twenty months now.
It is most disheartening to note upon all the struggle and challenges faced by over 500,000 inhabitants of the ancient Ibi town in the last five decades due to lack of access roads which cut-off the town to Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe states and beyond, did not yield any positive result until the coming on board the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari who approved the award of the bridge at a cost of N57 billion.
Initially in 2019, former President Buhari made a promise to build a bridge crossing the Benue River at Ibi in Taraba State. This promise was aimed at boosting the economic and educational development of the state and improving transportation and trade in the area. The Bridge is 2.3 kilometers long with an access road of 8 kilometers.
However, the construction of the bridge has been stalled due to lack of commitment by the President Buhari Administration. While the construction is ongoing, little has been done since the start of 2022 to expedite the construction, and the project failed to meet the expected timeline set by the administration for the second quarter of this year.
The completion of the Ibi bridge would be a significant development for the Ibi community and Taraba State in general. It would facilitate transportation and trade, provide easier access to schools such as the Federal University in Wukari, and boost the local economy, which is predominantly based on farming and fishing.
Former President Buhari had said the people of Taraba State deserve better, and it is essential for the Federal Government to prioritize the completion of the Ibi bridge construction, unfortunately the project was left to suffer artificial setbacks from inception due to bureaucracy.
Contrary to the usual practice, there was no official communication from Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) through the Community Liaison Officer about the impediments faced at the site. Normally, we would collaborate with RCC to address these challenges promptly. However, in this instance, we have not received any direct notification or communication on this matter.
Nevertheless, as Senator representing the entire Southern Zone, I have proactively taken steps, in collaboration with Hon. Prince Ayuba Zaku Dampar, Member representing Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency, to see that construction work on the bridge resumes urgently.
Consequently, we had a meeting with the Hon. Minister for Works, Engr. David Umahi, where we explained the situation at the Ibi Bridge site and appealed for additional funds to expedite the construction. The Minister has assured us of his commitment to work with RCC for the successful completion of the project.
Impeachable sources close to the Federal Ministry of Works has attributed the none compliance of the Construction firm back to site to lack of released of adequate fund to facilitate the completion of the project.
To RCC what it demands to complete the whole project is N7billion out of which N2.5billion not even N3billion was approved, even though what was released was only N1.5billion but was outrightly rejected as too meagre for a giant project of this magnitude. Whatever, we look forward for the actualization of this viable project.
Despite the purchased of all the needful facilities and take-off of the contract, it won’t be good to allow this huge investment to die at below fifty percent completion.
On behalf of Ibi Community, we are calling on His Excellency, Engineer David Umahi, the Honorable Minister of Works to use his good offices in coming to our aid in seeing to the completion of the Ibi Bridge for our collective good.
Ibi is Chairman of Ibi Elders Committee and wrote from Ibi, Taraba State
