The federal government says it is not playing lips service to the construction of the second Niger Bridge which commenced in March this year.

Presenting a situation report on work done on the site, the Minister of works Mike Onolememen said preliminary work began immediately after the ground breaking ceremony performed by the president two months ago.

He told federal executive council meeting that both the scalping, earth work, construction of access roads and other works have commenced on the site.

The meeting commenced around ten o’clock this morning with President Jonathan presiding and after the council members settled, it took briefings from concerned ministries which have developmental issues of national importance.

According to the minister of information who briefed state house correspondents alongside other ministers, the council meeting began with congratulatory messages to Mr. President for the successful hosting of the just concluded world economic forum which attracted huge direct foreign investment into the country’s agriculture and power sectors.

Then, the speedy construction of the second Niger Bridge which the Minister of works says will engender timely completion of the important bridge.

On her part, the minister of water resources Sarah Ochekpe gave account for the near completion of the kasambila Dam in Taraba state. She said the project when completed will provide over five hundred million cubic feet of water to such states as Taraba, Benue and Cross Rivers and create several job opportunities.

The dam when completed will cushion 2005 prediction of the United Nations that five states within the northeast-northcentral zones of the country may be washed away by erosion.

Correspondent Nnabuchi Okey  Nnabuchi