The federal government on Thursday reopened the First Niger Bridge linking Asaba and Onitsha after rehabilitation works.
The bridge was closed for emergency repairs following the discovery of vandalised components, including bolts, nuts and parts of its expansion-joint steelwork.
The closure, initially scheduled to end on September 21, was extended by one week due to persistent rainfall.
Speaking at the reopening, Works Minister David Umahi said the intervention reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to maintaining critical infrastructure.
He said the rehabilitation was aimed at improving structural safety and restoring smooth vehicular movement between the South-South and South-East regions.
Umahi said the work included repairs, the installation of solar-powered streetlights and CCTV cameras, improvements to the road surface and new traffic management measures.
He said median barriers and three designated turnaround points had also been provided to manage traffic during emergencies and vehicle breakdowns.
The minister added that security observation centres were being established at both ends of the bridge for continuous monitoring of activities on and beneath the structure.
He warned against excessive loading, congestion and other activities that could threaten the ageing bridge.
Umahi also raised concerns about alleged sand dredging near the bridge, saying federal regulations prohibited dredging within a 10-kilometre radius of federal bridges. He directed officials in Delta and Anambra to enforce the restriction and warned that disciplinary measures would be taken against those who failed to act.
On the Benin-Asaba Expressway, Umahi said Tinubu had directed a comprehensive redesign ahead of its reconstruction.
He said the Federal Government had cancelled a remedial contract covering the first 11 kilometres of the road because it was dissatisfied with the quality of work.
Umahi also announced plans to reconstruct about 400 kilometres of the East-West Road, which he described as a spur of the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He said the government remained committed to completing major road projects in 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, valued at about N172 billion, was under construction.
Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori commended Tinubu for responding to concerns about the bridge’s condition.
Oborevwori, represented by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, said the intervention highlighted the importance of maintaining public infrastructure.
He said Umahi’s three visits to the bridge within two months underscored the Federal Government’s attention to the 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 said the rehabilitation would improve commuter safety, facilitate trade and strengthen connections among communities.
He thanked Tinubu and Umahi for addressing concerns about the bridge’s safety, describing the intervention as responsive governance.
Similarly, the Asagba of Asaba, Epiphany Azinge, described the rehabilitation as significant, saying it would strengthen the bridge and extend its useful life.
Azinge commended Tinubu and Umahi for completing the work, noting the bridge’s importance to economic and social relations between Delta and Anambra.
“This may be the second most comprehensive intervention made so far on this bridge since its construction shortly before the Civil War,” he said.
