CLAIM: Did Buhari’s administration complete the Second Niger Bridge?
CONTEXT: On May 28th 2023, the outgoing President in his farewell speech highlighted some legacy projects which he completed to include Second Niger Bridge and other important roads linking other states.
“Mindful of the need to ensure adequate infrastructure to drive economic growth, we completed age-long projects and processes notably amongst which are the Petroleum Industry Act, completion of some power projects, completion of the second Niger bridge and various important roads linking cities and states,” he said.
VERIFICATION: The Second Niger Bridge, a major bridge that links many states of the South South and South East. The Second Niger Bridge was conceptualised in 2005. In 2014, there was an attempt to begin the project through Public Private Partnership (PPP) but this was not successful. The construction began in 2016 with the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF). It was however completed and commissioned on May 23, 2023 and was later renamed President Muhammadu Buhari Bridge. The bridge is said to be 1.6 kilometres long.
Under the reign of Muhammadu Buhari, the Loko-Oweto Bridge was completed across River Benue to link Benue to Nasarawa State and the Ikom Bridge in Cross River State.
Similarly, major road projects completed include the section of the over 200 kilometres of Kano-Kaduna Dual Carriage Expressway. Others include three new Federal Secretariats in Anambra, Zamfara and Sokoto.
VERDICT: True
Conclusion: Based on verifiable data, CDD fact-checkers can confirm that the claim made by the outgoing president is true. The construction of the second Niger Bridge began in 2016 with the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF). It was however , completed and commissioned on May 23, 2023.