Members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Works have charged construction giant Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to accelerate work on the Bodo-Bonny Road project in Rivers State, stressing the importance of completing the strategic infrastructure on schedule.
The call was made during an inspection visit on Friday, April 4, 2025, led by Senator Barinada Mpigi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works. The visit forms part of the committee’s ongoing nationwide oversight of federal road infrastructure projects.
39-Kilometre Bodo-Bonny Road Key to Niger Delta Connectivity
The 39-kilometre Bodo-Bonny Road, which commenced in 2017 through a partnership between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), is designed to link Bonny Island—a vital oil and gas hub currently accessible mostly by sea—to the Nigerian mainland.
“The project has the potential to significantly boost economic activities and improve accessibility in Rivers State,” the lawmakers noted during the visit.
The inspection kick-started a two-day tour of major federal road projects in the Niger Delta region. At various sections of the Bodo-Bonny project, key committee members including Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi (Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate) and Senator Victor Umeh, expressed concern over the project’s delays and emphasized the need for timely delivery.
Julius Berger Vows December 2025 Completion
Top officials of Julius Berger, including Project Manager Tim Nippert and Managing Director Dr. Peer Lubach, assured the lawmakers that the road is over 75 percent complete and on track for delivery by December 2025.
“The Senate and the House of Representatives are the people that appropriate the necessary funds. We want to see what the taxpayers’ money is being used for in our country,” Senator Mpigi told journalists.
While commending aspects of the progress made, he encouraged the contractor to sustain momentum:
“We are satisfied. We are happy. But in the same way, just like Oliver Twist, the committee is saying, Mr. Julius Berger, we used to know you as being the number one construction giant in this country. We don’t want you to slack behind.”
He added:
“We want you (Julius Berger) to use this Bodo-Bonny Road as a sample of how well you can handle road projects.”
Lawmakers Call for Full Access to East-West Road
Senator Mpigi also urged the Federal Ministry of Works to award the contract for the remaining nine-kilometre stretch linking Bodo to the East-West Road, emphasizing that completing this segment would fully open up the area and improve regional development.
The lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to sustained oversight and stakeholder engagement to prevent any abandonment of federal road projects in the Niger Delta.
The Joint Committee is expected to continue its inspection of other critical road projects across the region on Friday.