Bonny-Bodo road project’ll boost Nigeria’s economy, says finance minister

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed says the Bonny-Bodo road project in Rivers will further boost Nigeria’s economy on completion.

A statement by Stephen Kilebi, Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry on Monday, said Ahmed spoke when she inspected the project.

Our correspondent reports that the minister also inspected the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) plant in Bonny Island.

She said that the 38km road was one of the NLNG’s corporate social responsibility projects to boost infrastructure development, in partnership with the Federal Government,

Ahmed said that the road had three bridges; the Afa bridge measuring 501.5m, the Opobo bridge measuring 713.5m and the Nanabie bridge, with 448.5m.

“This road has infrastructural benefits which will bring in opportunities to the people of Bonny and Nigeria at large,” she said.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the project and reiterated Federal Government’s support to bring the vision to reality.

She said that in spite of the challenges NLNG encountered on daily basis, it was still able to live up to expectations in gas production and social responsibilities.

Ahmed assured the company of the Federal Government’s commitment to improved security in order to improve its production output, urging the company to try as much as possible to fit in to global competition.

Earlier, at the event Philip Mshelbila, the Managing Director, Nigeria, NLNG, said that they were proud to partner with the Federal Government.

Mshelbila said that the firm’s vision was to build a better Nigeria and to turn Bonny into a master city where the people would be proud of.

He said that in spite of oil thefts, pipeline vandalism and kidnappings which recur in the area, they were not deterred from carrying out their support programmes and responsibilities.