NDDC contractors brave bad weather, speed up construction of sensitive Kaa-Ataba Bridge in Rivers

Despite adverse weather, engineers working on the construction work on the 1.2-kilometre Kaa-Ataba Bridge in Rivers State are seen to speed up work to meet deadline.

The bridge is one of the legacy projects which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is said to be highly interested in completing for which the president is regularly briefed.

President Tinubu had vowed to turn around project execution in the oil region and began by making leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) stable, offer of N1trn to make the 2025 budget up to N1.9trn, and demanding for a performance bond from the management and board. This has made the leaders of the NDDC to focus more on meeting the bond than infighting that had destroyed previous boards. There have been no open signs that National Assembly members and people from the presidency have been pestering the NDDC management for contracts or to be given jobs they never intended to execute but with payments upfront as was the case in the past.

At the last presidential briefing, the bridge was one of the projects that were explained to Tinubu. He may commission it soon because the project is said to have reached an advanced stage and is expected to be delivered soon.

Speaking at the Project site, Christian Emeozor, Managing Director of the construction firm, described the multi-billion-naira project as ambitious and impactful, linking the Khana Local Government Area to the Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Emeozor assured that his company was making every effort to complete the job expeditiously. He noted that irregular tidal waves had hampered the delivery of construction materials to the site and affected the schedule for crossing the remaining beams on the bridge.

According to Emeozor, the construction firm had made efforts to address adverse weather conditions, which had contributed to delays in completing the project. He promised that more men and materials would be committed to the project to ensure that it was delivered on schedule.

He said that, despite the challenges, the bridge project would be tackled with sufficient manpower and equipment to compensate for the reduced working hours due to the unfavourable weather conditions.

Emeozor expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the host communities, applauding them for their support and cooperation in executing the project. He noted that the project would open up the communities in the area, reduce accidents associated with crossing the river, and boost socio-economic activities.

He observed: “The bridge project will improve the quality of life of the people of Kaa and Ataba, as well as help transport farm produce, goods and properties from the rich agricultural area.”

He assured his company would do everything necessary to ensure the project’s early completion, declaring, “We are committed to delivering on speed and quality.”

According to Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director, Corporate Affairs, Samuel Ogbuku, the NDDC Managing Director, recently briefed President Bola Tinubu on the progress made on the Kaa-Ataba Bridge and other legacy projects of the Commission.