Road Expansion: Demolition on Right of Way Begins March 1 – BKDC

The Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) says demolition of properties in the right of way of the planned road expansion project from Shell Gate to Coal Beach will commence on Saturday, March 1, 2025.  

Chairman of BKDC, Amairigha Hart disclosed this via a statement on Sunday, February 9, 2025 made exclusively available to Kristina Reports in Bonny, Rivers State

“Demolition of Properties on the Right of Way: Please be informed that this exercise shall commence on 1st March 2025. Please be guided.”

According him, notification on the planned demolition has been disseminated to owners of impacted properties (OIPs) on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, following the successful disbursement of relief payments to over 97% of the OIPs by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG).  

“We have done more than 97% payments to the affected persons. Also, as can be observed, some have already started demolishing their properties on their own.

The Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC), which is the coordinating institution for development in Bonny Kingdom, has continued to provide ongoing interface between the project sponsor, NLNG, and project beneficiary, Bonny Kingdom.

The relief payments and imminent demolitions precede the expected kickstart of construction work on the project which spans Shell Road, Mission Road, King William Dappa Pepple Road all the way to Coal Beach and a spur on the Court Road up to the King Perekule Palace, Bonny.

This follows a truce facilitated by the BKDC and brokered by the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC) after the people of Bonny protested against the non-implementation of the road expansion project, which is one of several projects captured under corporate social responsibility for the NLNG Train 7.

The expansion of the road that crisscrosses the western axis of Bonny Main Town is expected to handle the traffic build up in that axis of the town as it is the main route to several significant landmarks such as the Bonny Roundabout, Commonwealth Cemetery, oldest cathedral in Nigeria, the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, famous King Perekule Palace, and the Ibani ethnic nationality’s ancient convergence ground, the Ikuba Nungo (Square).

Aside these, there are the Bonny Main Market, Queen Kambassa Hall and Event Centre, Women’s Hall, Amaomu Computer Village, NPA Jetty, and famous Bar Beach Hotel, among others.

The stretch of road terminates at the Coal Beach which is the major entry and exit point in Bonny Island, where you have an ultra-modern motorpark, thriving fish market, and local cargo jetty, among several other facilities.   

With the demolitions, which Kristina Reports has learnt will be supervised by the BKDC, the last impediment to the kickstart of the project would have been obviated.