As the controversy continues to trend over who is sponsoring the reconstruction of the collapsed Akiama Bridge, the contractor handling the project, Evomec Global Services Limited (EGSL) has disclosed the sponsor.

EGSL’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, High Chief Peter Onajite Esievo, told Kristina Reports on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at the project site at Akiama Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State that, when completed, the project would alleviate the sufferings of commuters in that axis.

High Chief Esievo, who spoke through the Project Lead for the Akiama Culvert Project, Meshack Ngbonwi, disclosed that the project takes into account and aims to address all the factors that led to the collapse of the former bridge.

Ngbonwi, a Civil Engineer, was accompanied by the Evomec’s Security Advisor, Alali Abbey, Community Liaison Officer, Tuwonimi Ezekiel-Hart, and Government Liaison Officer, Emmanuel Wilcox.

High Chief Esievo, who is also the Ugherughe 1 of Agboh Kingdom, explained that the contract was awarded to his company by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) as part of its corporate social responsibility interventions for the Train 7 project.

He commended the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple, CON, DSSRS, JP, Edward I, Perekule XI, for his intervention that led to the decision to get the project off the ground.

He also expressed appreciation to the Nigeria LNG for its magnanimity in sponsoring the project under its CSR initiative, stressing that such intervention will now ensure that the Akiama Community and all the institutions in that axis have access to other parts of town having suffered for a year while the bridge was down.

According to him, work would have commenced earlier in the year but the NLNG needed to interface with the Bonny Local Government to provide the necessary legal framework for the project to commence, given that it was a public sector project.

He gave details of the job scope of the project, stating that aside creating a solid base for the bridge, the surrounding environment would be strengthened to ensure the pressure on it is evenly spread, stressing that the bridge is being built to carry twice the weight of the previous one.

The Evomec CEO asserted that his company was committing tremendous resources and expertise to ensure speedy delivery of the project, emphasizing that the job is envisaged to be a sustainable solution to the plight of commuters who have had to use a longer route in and out of the community.

According to him, Evomec empathizes with the sufferings of the residents and indigenes of Akiama Community in line with its compassionate corporate posture and corporate social responsibility to the Bonny people, adding that other corporate bodies should toe the same line to amplify the development of Bonny Island.