For a rural dweller in Bonny Island – a community in Rivers State Nigeria, access within and outside its environs, would typically mean a trip across the high sea. Over time, this type of commute has become a standard and effective way of life for the locals, one they are very accustomed to and have adopted throughout history.
Typically, the people from Bonny understand that transportation of goods and services from the community could come with its many challenges over the waterways, in as much as this has often been managed in the past. Commerce, trade and, daily activities in this area, would rely largely on the sea tides, overall weather conditions, availability of boats and canoes or just what particular time of the year is friendly enough for sea travel.
When we talk about alternative transportation, in urban cities for example, the options usually would focus on how you look forward to your next bus ride or maybe a train ride, using your car or perhaps riding a bike. All of these require an accessible road network to function as we usually would not consider catching a flight or taking the next boat ride in our day-to-day commute for work or business. In reality, road transportation remains an important enabler of progress, accounting for more than 90 per cent contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The people in Bonny, however, would embrace an accessible road network as a viable transportation alternative that can actually provide impact and value to enable productivity in their community. For them, this would simply mean, hopping into a vehicle and driving from the island to the mainland whenever they wished. Essentially and over the years, they have utilized the high sea to access the mainland from the island and been able to connect by road is an aspect of life that will only have its many benefits.
In 2017, the Federal Government executed a public private partnership with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), to construct a 38km road, providing a connection between Bodo in Rivers State to Bonny Island. This project is the first road link to connect Bonny Island, spanning across other communities including Bodo, Andoni and Opobo, all known for fishing and farming activities.
This project is an interesting prospect for the people in these communities, as it would further include 3 major bridges and 9 mini bridges, fully connecting everyone to a durable and accessible road network while also impacting the larger Niger Delta region. So far, contractors for the project, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, confirmed that the Bodo- Road and one of three of the main bridges (Afa Creek), has been completed.
Technically, the terrain consists of low-lying marshy area and swampy soil conditions, making this project a much more challenging construction to bring to life. However, Julius Berger has so far successfully completed aspects of the project, regardless of the difficulties posed by the natural environment.
On one of the main bridges completed, the company also mentioned that it implemented innovative technologies through a process it called incremental launching. This, it described as manufacturing the superstructure of the bridge by sections in a prefabrication area behind one of the abutments with each new unit concreted directly against the preceding one.
Whilst innovation and modernization continue to enable possibilities in every aspect of life, including how people choose to move, this new road network connectivity into Bonny Island from Nigeria’s mainland, is proof that road infrastructure is an effective enabler of progress for people.
With a functioning road network, increased business opportunities through road transportation services, can run safely through the day and night unlike sea transportation, which usually happens during the day. It can also enhance equipment and general logistics services, ensuring better accessibility for people to transport goods and services in and out of the community.
When completed, this road is projected to reduce the cost of oil production and other business activities on Bonny Island, opening up more opportunities for rapid economic progress. Commerce and trade will also be effectively enhanced throughout the region, touching every individual, every home, and every community and impacting every life.
ABUJA INTERNATIONAL HOUSING SHOW: JULIUS BERGER AFP WINS NIGERIA’S “BEST FURNITURE COMPANY” AWARD FOR 5TH CONSECUTIVE TIME
Julius Berger AFP, the furniture and furnishing arm of Nigeria’s leading engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, has again shown qualitative creativity and top-notch engineering consistency to meritoriously clinch the award of Nigeria’s ‘Best Furniture Company’ at the internationally acclaimed Abuja International Housing Show. The award ceremony climaxed days of products and service exhibition as well as attendant highly competitive commercial offerings by many international furniture manufacturers and interior design companies from across Africa and other active and respected international players in the industry. The annual Abuja Housing Show and exhibition is renowned as the real estate development and furnishing industry’s ultimate show stopper in the African continent, and the quest for the highly sought awards for excellence at the event has fueled great creativity, competition and progressive development amongst corporations at the annual event.
Speaking at the ceremony which held at the prestigious International Conference Centre in Abuja, an iconic international tourist edifice which itself was also built in record time to peak and enviable engineering standard by Julius Berger, Barrister Adebayo Festus, the CEO of the Abuja Housing Show said: “by its consistently stylish, bespoke and matchless engineering designs, progressively exotic and classy offerings to investing customers, Julius Berger AFP has, indeed, won a niche for itself as not only Nigeria’s best furniture company of all time, but in fact, Africa’s choicest and most trusted quality in furniture production and client satisfaction”.
The Head of Public Relations of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Prince Moses Duku was on hand to receive the award on behalf of the company. When asked by members of the press what the award meant for the AFP going forward, he said: “my very dear friends from the Fourth Estate of the Realm, thank you for your kind interest in our company, Julius Berger. It helps to always remember that the AFP is an offspring of a most trustworthy corporate foundation and responsible business heritage. That means that the AFP derives its proud pedigree from the impeccably successful and highly coveted Julius Berger Nigeria Plc engineering standard and solution-oriented value chain. I can assure you that for the AFP, as an ambassador of the highly acclaimed Julius Berger brand, it will only get qualitatively better to the satisfaction and happiness of every of our customers.
The AFP, Duku added, “pledges to maintain its leadership position in the furniture and furnishing sector, sustain its corporate momentum and ever increasingly promote the excellent, reliable technical and business sure-footedness of the Julius Berger Plc identity. As we always say and practice at Julius Berger, ‘the Customer is King’. We are used to making the customer very happy with satisfaction. That’s who we are, that’s what we do, and that remains the enduring promise of Julius Berger AFP”.
The AFP later in a show of appreciation to its loyal and highly valued customers, hosted its clients and prospective customers to an exclusive reception at its eye-catching Abuja showroom located at the highbrow Gana street, Maitama.
Among the furniture offerings on display at the AFP showroom were home furnishings for foyers which blends contemporary art and traditional architecture into a stylish mash-up that creates an entry way that ushers in a stylish living space. There are also laid out living rooms of different sizes and styles, by which AFP provides a range of comfortable sofas, coffee tables, display cabinets and more to create for a unique signature space for a customer. According to AFP’s Sales Manager, Uche Uzoewulu, the AFP provides “distinctive furnishings to accommodate unique specifications and taste”. Uzoewulu added that “AFP’s collection of dining table sets, cabinets and sideboards come in a range of creative finishings and diverse styles; this gives a customer a choice of marble, glass, wood or stone dining tables and leather, wood or fabric chairs”.
AFP also displayed dynamic kitchen styles that integrate up and coming trends while maintaining seamless and timeless concepts. Quality and flawlessly finished kitchen cabinets and accessories epitomize leading industry standards.
AFP’s perfectly crafted bedroom furniture, including stylish bed frames, side tables, benches and chest of drawers create a sense of calmness for a relaxing and comfortable bedroom environment. The AFP’s exhibited bedrooms represent a functional definition of a serene home experience, an oasis of personal style, and creativity and innovation at its peak; bringing imagination to actuality.
The exhibited AFP home study spaces at the showroom creates a comfortable and functional environment that evokes confidence and personal expression; allowing a customer to work smarter and be productive. This is addition to the iconic private media room where the AFP’s profound versatility is evident in the production of customizable entertainment options for the home, providing an exciting viewing and listening experience with the state-in-the-art gadgets.
AFP also offers a full range of office furniture solutions, including conference and meeting solutions. Apart from standardized items, AFP produces distinct customised furnishing to accommodate unique specifications for styles as well as usage requirements. Both standard and customized furniture are designed and produced to balance function with aesthetics, creating durable, high-quality and intelligent design solutions that positively impact business image and optimize productivity and professionalism. The AFP also provide hospitality solutions that marry luxury with innovation and customized elegant designs, inspiring guest experience and setting the project above the competition. From beautifully designed guestrooms to presidential suites presenting guests with an experience exceeding expectations. The scope includes executive meeting and ballroom panelling, with modular LED Lights, projecting images using audio-visual capabilities, maintaining industry standards.
From the AFP bathroom offerings, a perfect blend of luxury tiles, vanity tops, and LED illuminated mirrors seamlessly work together to transform a bathroom space. AFP offers alternative modern styles and outlooks of bathroom furniture, fixtures and accessories to match clients’ exquisite taste and preference.
AFP has since opened other state-of-the-art showrooms located at Victoria Island Lagos and in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. AFP also have a new interactive website to which customers can go and savour the exquisite furniture offerings available.
