The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has said the 1.2-kilometre Kaa-Ataba Bridge in Rivers State will be completed and ready for inauguration in November this year.
Managing Director of the Commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during an inspection of the project site. He stated that the bridge is one of the priority projects being fast-tracked by the current Board and Management.
According to him, the project is designed to improve the socio-economic wellbeing of communities in the Andoni and Khana axis of the state. He noted that improved road and bridge infrastructure will reduce travel time and open up the riverine areas for commerce.
“The Kaa-Ataba Bridge is critical to linking our people and unlocking economic opportunities. By November, we expect to hand over this bridge to the communities for use” Ogbuku said.
The Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, who was also on the inspection tour, commended the NDDC for mobilizing resources to complete the bridge and its connecting roads.
Momoh said the project would link more than 10 communities in Andoni and Khana Local Government Areas that have been cut off for years due to poor access. He added that the intervention aligns with the federal government’s agenda to bridge infrastructure gaps in the Niger Delta.
The Minister further praised the Commission for reviewing and re-awarding contracts that had lingered for years. He said the Tinubu administration is committed to ensuring value for money and timely delivery of projects across the region.
Officials disclosed that the Kaa-Ataba Bridge and connecting road projects had been abandoned for about 15 years before the current NDDC leadership intervened.
Ogbuku explained that the contracts were reviewed and re-awarded in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to complete all stalled federal projects, especially those with direct impact on citizens.
Engineers on site assured that work is progressing according to schedule, with piling, decking and asphalt works at advanced stages. They said the November target remains achievable barring any unforeseen challenges.
Community leaders in Andoni and Khana LGAs who spoke during the inspection expressed optimism that the completion of the bridge would boost farming, fishing and trading activities in the area.
The NDDC boss reiterated the Commission’s commitment to completing other legacy projects across the nine Niger Delta states, saying the focus of the new board is on impact, transparency and sustainability.
