The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has inaugurated the Kudzum Bridge that was destroyed by Boko Haram in 2014. The bridge is one of the three major bridges that connect Adamawa and Borno.

Mallam Mohammed Alkali, Managing Director, NEDC, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, and Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa inaugurated the bridge on Friday in Michika Local Government Area.

Speaking shortly after the inauguration, Alkali, said that the three bridges were reconstructed by the commission in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works. “Today, we are witnessing the historic inauguration of Kudzum Bridge, one of the three major bridges destroyed by Boko Haram in 2014.

   “The commission, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMW&H) reconstructed the three bridges at Kudzum, Dilechim, and Wuro-Ngayandi destroyed by the insurgency along the Mubi to Bama/Maiduguri Road. “Works on the other two bridges at Dilechim and Wuro-Ngayandi are progressing and about 70 per cent completed,” he said.

 Alkali said the scope of work on the two bridges covered 500.0m, with 250.0m on each approach. He said that the commission signed another MOU with the FMW&H on the construction of another three bridges on the Jabbilamba to Belel Road. Fashola, the Minister of Works, represented by Mr. Salihu Abubakar, Controller of Works in charge of Adamawa, said that the commission’s involvement yielded remarkable achievement as far as the North East region was concerned.

   “The total cost of the three bridges is ₦14.7 billion, the involvement of the commission in the project made the completion of Kudzum bridge and other two possible,” Fashola said.

He said that the completion of the bridge would boost the economic development of the people of the area. Fintiri, represented by his Deputy, Mr. Seth Crowther, thanked the Federal Government and the commission for making the rebuilding of the bridge possible. He said the Adamawa government would continue to collaborate with the commission for the execution of more developmental projects.