President Muhammadu Buhari says infrastructural development is important for poverty alleviation.

The president stated this on Tuesday during the inauguration of the 360 metres length Ikom bridge in Cross River.

The inauguration, done virtually from the Council Chamber in Abuja, also saw the opening of six major projects by the Buhari regime, including the Second Niger Bridge and the Loko Oweto bridge. Others include the Abuja-Kano Highway and three federal secretariats in Bayelsa, Anambra and Zamfara.

Mr Buhari said without investing in infrastructure, coming out of poverty would be much tougher.

“The projects we inaugurate today embody the country’s focus on delivering prosperity; they are frontal efforts to address multi-dimensional poverty instead of lamenting about it,” stated the president. “The Ikom Bridge will boost trade in and around the Calabar Port and Free Trade Zone and facilitate transport connectivity from the South-South, through the North-Central to the North-East.”

He explained that the bridges “are bridges of connectivity and integrity across major rivers of commerce like the River Benue, River Niger and Cross River, they will reduce travel time, improve business efficiency and service delivery.”

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River said for a long time, there was a clamour for a new bridge to ease transportation and business challenges.

(NAN)