From Enweliku Kent, Asaba
The Federal Government has reopened the First Niger Bridge linking Asaba, Delta State, and Onitsha, Anambra State, following extensive rehabilitation works aimed at improving structural safety, strengthening security and restoring seamless vehicular movement between the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones.
Speaking during the opening on Thursday in Onitsha, Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, described the intervention as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to maintaining critical national infrastructure and improving transportation across the country.
Umahi said the rehabilitation became necessary following reports of structural concerns, including the alleged removal of bolts from the bridge’s steel components, inadequate maintenance and activities capable of undermining its structural integrity.
He explained that the Federal Government responded by undertaking repairs, installing solar-powered streetlights and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, improving the road surface and introducing traffic management measures to enhance safety.
According to him, the intervention also included the installation of median barriers and the creation of three designated turnaround points to facilitate traffic management during emergencies and vehicle breakdowns.
The minister disclosed that security observation centres were being established at both ends of the bridge to enable continuous monitoring of activities on and beneath the structure.
He said the measures were particularly important given the age of the bridge and the need to protect it against excessive loading, traffic congestion and other activities that could compromise its durability.
Umahi also warned against indiscriminate sand dredging around bridges, stressing that Federal Government regulations prohibit dredging within a 10-kilometre radius of federal bridges.
He expressed concern that dredging activities were allegedly taking place dangerously close to the First Niger Bridge and directed relevant federal officials in Delta and Anambra states to ensure immediate enforcement of the restriction.
The minister warned that disciplinary measures would be taken against officials who failed to address the situation.
Speaking on the deteriorating condition of the Benin-Asaba Expressway, Umahi announced that President Tinubu had directed a comprehensive redesign of both highways ahead of its reconstruction.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had cancelled an ongoing remedial contract covering the first 11 kilometres of the Benin-Asaba road over dissatisfaction with the quality of work.
The minister expressed confidence that the intervention would address the persistent difficulties experienced by motorists and commuters along the busy transportation corridor.
Umahi also announced plans for the reconstruction of approximately 400 kilometres of the East-West Road, which he said would serve as a spur of the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He maintained that the Federal Government remained committed to completing major road projects across the Niger Delta and South-East, including sections of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge bypass.
According to him, the 17.5-kilometre Second Niger Bridge bypass project, valued at approximately ₦172 billion, was already under construction.
The minister said the Federal Government would continue to prioritise infrastructure development, describing road connectivity as essential to economic growth, regional integration and national development.
In his remarks, Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, commended President Tinubu for responding promptly to concerns about the condition of the bridge.
Oborevwori said the intervention demonstrated the importance of establishing a sustainable maintenance culture for public infrastructure rather than waiting for facilities to deteriorate before taking action.
He observed that the minister’s three consecutive visits to the bridge within two months underscored the Federal Government’s attention to its rehabilitation.
“If this bridge is allowed to collapse, it will not just affect the movement of people between the South and the East; it will also affect the economies of both regions,” he said.
Oborevwori noted that the rehabilitation went beyond improving the physical appearance of the bridge, stressing that the intervention would enhance the safety of commuters, facilitate trade and strengthen connections among communities.
“The fact that the bridge is wearing an entirely new look today is not just about beauty. It is also about the safety of those who commute across this bridge, linking communities, connecting cultures and making businesses thrive,” he stated.
The governor expressed appreciation to President Tinubu and the Minister of Works for addressing public concerns about the bridge’s safety.
Oborevwori described the intervention as an example of responsive governance, stressing that protecting existing infrastructure was as important as constructing new projects.
Similarly, the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Professor Epiphany Azinge, SAN, described the rehabilitation as a significant intervention that would strengthen the bridge and extend its useful life.
Speaking on behalf of the Asaba community, the monarch commended President Tinubu and Umahi for ensuring the completion of the rehabilitation works.
He said the bridge occupied an important place in the economic and social relationship between Delta and Anambra states, as well as the wider South-South and South-East regions.
“This may be the second most comprehensive intervention made so far on this bridge since its construction shortly before the Civil War,” Azinge said.
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