Port Harcourt adds another flyover as Julius Berger delivers to Wike on schedule  

By Business A.M.

• Mgbuoba/Ozuoba, Ada George Road junction flyover 

The city of Port Harcourt added another flyover bridge to its infrastructural capital following the commissioning of the Mgbuoba/Ozuoba and Ada-George Junction flyover bridge built by Julius Berger in the capital of Rivers State, one of Nigeria’s main oil producing states, by special guest of honour, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.

A confident Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State assured the people of the state that incoming Siminalayi Fubara, governor-elect, will continue with his legacy of bringing infrastructural development to the state in line with the continuity policy of the administration, adding that the support enjoyed by his party and administration at the just concluded governorship elections, underscored the need.

Underlining the construction of flyovers is the need to decongest the capital city comprising Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor, a factor that also helps the government to decide where to locate them, the governor said.

“Rivers State government built flyovers on the consideration of practical utility. I do not know what you (critics) mean by saying that Obio-Akpor has seven flyovers. All I know is that, in order to decongest the state and make motoring experience easier for the people, we decided to build flyovers where it is necessary to do so. “We therefore  did not share or construct flyovers according to any sentiment of allocation by local government areas. It is because Obio Akpor local government is part of the city of Port Harcourt. Of course, you know Obio Akpor Local Government is comparatively overpopulated than any other local government. So, you expect that it is a reasonable decision for us to decongest the entire area in order to make life easier for the motoring and, indeed, the general public,” Wike said.

L-R: Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, deputy governor of Rivers State; Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Lars Richter, managing director, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc; and Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State governor-elect, at the inauguration of Mgbuoba/Ozuoba Ada-George Junction flyover in Mgbuoba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently

The governor said with the completion of the Mgbuoba/Ozuoba Ada-George Junction Flyover, the usual traffic logjam associated with the area had become a thing of the past and commended the residents of the area for enduring the inconveniences they experienced while the work on the project lasted, and the construction company for keeping to the agreed schedule.

Governor Wike further said the people and residents of Rivers State would continue to benefit from the ongoing development of infrastructure because they did not compromise their support for Siminalayi Fubara, the governor-elect.

Governor Samuel Ortom, while commissioning the project, described Governor Wike as the first and best in infrastructure development even as he commended the transformation Wike’s administration has brought to bear on the landscape of Port Harcourt in terms of delivery of durable infrastructure. He described Wike as a bridge builder and a worthy example, who has made democratic governance more meaningful.

Lars Richter, managing director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, thanked the government and people of Rivers State and assured that the company was “always ready to partner with the Rivers State government as you build more infrastructures across the state.”

While thanking the Rivers State Ministry of Works under the watch of Geroge Kelly, the commissioner, and the supervisory engineers on the success of the project, Richter also commended the communities around the road alignment of the project who lost their right of use of this road during the period of construction.

“This was a huge sacrifice, which, of course, has paid off today,” Richter said.

Richter further said that the Mgbuoba/Ozuoba Ada-George Junction Flyover was completed and delivered with the usual professionalism of Julius Berger.

“This project was awarded to us on the 19th day of July 2022 with a 10 months completion period, but was achieved much earlier. It is no longer news that the present (Wike’s) administration had not compromised quality in their deliveries of infrastructural development to Rivers people since 2015 when his excellency carried Julius Berger along in his urban renewal programme.”

The Mgbuoba/Ozuoba Ada-George Junction Flyover was commissioned in Mgbuoba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently

The company, he added, “has constructed many road networks, eleven sturdy flyovers and bridges while the 12th flyover is also near completion and commissioning very soon.”

The Mgbuoba/Ada-George Road junction flyover bridge consists of 13 spans and two ramps with an approximate total length of 222 metres dual carriageway with ground service lanes. The flyover has two carriageways with each road having a width of 7.3 metres made up of 13 spans at 22.5 metres intervals

Built with a total quantity of 104 precast beams, the bridge is founded on 800 diameter 176, Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piles with a length of 21.5 metres. The project spans a total construction length of around 919 metres at longitudinal direction of the flyover, and has a provision of drainages and culverts at the new service lane. There is a roundabout including traffic islands and U-Turns under the bridge. The new road pavement consists of a 200mm thick cement-sand subbase with 4% average cement content by weight, 200mm granular stone base and 100mm thick total asphalt concrete Surface. On top of the superstructure the asphalt is a 60 mm thick Binder Course and 40mm wearing course.