TheCable

The Lagos state government says 39 construction companies have expressed interest in the construction of the proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge.

NAN reports that the state government advertised for expression of interest on the Fourth Mainland Bridge on November 28.

Aramide Adeyoye, the special adviser to the governor on works and infrastructure, said the contract will be under the public-private partnership arrangement because the government does not have the funds required.

According to Adeyoye, the next step of evaluation where qualified companies would be contacted will soon begin.

The special adviser said the government is committed to ensuring that the project, which had been in the pipeline for over 30 years, is completed to further ease gridlock in the state.

Peter Agunbiade, the managing director of Advanced Engineering Consultants, said that the journey to construct the Fourth Mainland Bridge began many years ago.

Agunbiade said the Babajide Sanwoolu-led administration made it possible for the bridge construction to be revisited.

He said that companies in Europe, Asia and others duly expressed interest in the project, assuring that the state government would ensure transparency in executing the bid.

Olujimi Hutonu, the permanent secretary of the ministry of works and infrastructure, listed some of the companies that expressed interest in the project as Julius Berger, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Kyeryong Construction Company, Pythgoras Holdings and CRCCCI Nigeria.

Others are China State Construction and Engineering Corporation Nigeria Ltd, Bua International Ltd, China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Company Ltd.