The border bridge at Mfum and the Ikom bridge between Nigeria and Cameroon will facilitate international trade between the two countries when inaugurated, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said.
Fashola made the remark while inspecting the two-lane bridge over the Cross River at the Cameroon and the Nigeria new border at Ekok /Mfum and the new Ikom bridge.
The minister explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration's strategy of planning and execution of infrastructure projects was yielding results through successful completion.
"This is the A-4 axis coming from Calabar to Maiduguri through Ogoja to Katsina-Ala. So you will expect more volume of trade. And it is no accident that Cross River State bears its name. It is actually the River that named the state. That River opens to the sea and the Gulf of Guinea. And so high impact on international trade is expected.
"We have had very strong relationship with Cameroon in terms of trade and business and if you go to Aba, Enugu, Abakaliki, for example, this is the route that facilitates trade, agro produce, merchandise, manufactured goods from Aba in Abia State.
"This is a very strategic infrastructure to take Nigeria to the future for many more decades to facilitate relationship between brothers and sisters in Cameroon and Nigeria and to strengthen the bond of relationship in a joint development with the Republic of Cameroon and Nigeria, "Fashola said.
He added that the bridges would increase the prosperity of the people, facilitate hundreds of jobs, movement of agro produce and manufactured goods, joint border patrol that would lead to security efficiency and position both nations to take the benefit of the free trade zone agreement.
