By Ere-ebi Agedah Imisi
President Bola Tinubu has commissioned the 37.9-kilometre Bodo-Bonny Road in Rivers State, ending decades of transportation challenges for residents of Bonny Island and fulfilling a development aspiration that dates back to 1950.
The historic commissioning, held over the weekend, at the Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, marking the completion of a major infrastructure project valued at ₦280 billion.
The road, which provides a direct connection between Bonny and Bodo communities, incorporates approximately three kilometres of bridges constructed across the Opobo Channel, significantly improving access to the island and linking it to the wider road network.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, described the project as a significant milestone in the country’s infrastructure development, expressing appreciation to President Tinubu for ensuring its completion.
Umahi disclosed that the President had also approved an additional 8.9-kilometre dual carriageway extension to connect the Bodo-Bonny Road to the East-West Road.
According to the Minister, the approved extension will provide 17.8 kilometres of reinforced concrete pavement, further strengthening road connectivity and improving transportation across the area.
He explained that the additional project would ease the movement of people and goods, while creating greater economic opportunities for communities, businesses and investors along the corridor.
The Minister put the average construction cost at approximately ₦7.4 billion per kilometre, noting that the extensive bridge infrastructure across the Opobo Channel represented a major component of the engineering investment.
The commissioning of the Bodo-Bonny Road represents the fulfilment of a long-standing aspiration of the people of Bonny, who have waited for more than seven decades for a modern road connection to the mainland.
With the newly commissioned road and the planned extension to the East-West Road, the Federal Government is expected to further improve regional mobility, facilitate commercial activities and strengthen economic integration within Rivers State.
