FG Reopens First Niger Bridge After Major Rehabilitation, Orders Benin-Asaba Highway Reconstruction
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 ensuring smoother vehicular movement between the South-South and South-East regions.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, announced the reopening on Thursday in Onitsha, describing the intervention as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's commitment to maintaining critical national infrastructure and improving road transportation across the country.
Umahi explained that the rehabilitation became necessary following concerns about the bridge's structural integrity, including reports of missing bolts from its steel components, inadequate maintenance and other activities capable of undermining its safety and durability.
He said the rehabilitation involved repairs to critical components, improvements to the road surface, the installation of solar-powered streetlights and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, as well as the introduction of traffic management measures to enhance safety.
According to the minister, median barriers were installed, while three designated turnaround points were created to facilitate traffic management during emergencies and vehicle breakdowns.
He added that security observation centres were being established at both ends of the bridge to enable continuous monitoring of activities on and beneath the structure.
Umahi stressed that the measures were necessary to protect the ageing bridge from excessive loading, traffic congestion and other activities that could compromise its structural integrity.
The minister also raised concerns about indiscriminate sand dredging around bridges, noting that Federal Government regulations prohibit dredging within a 10-kilometre radius of federal bridges.
He expressed concern over alleged dredging activities dangerously close to the First Niger Bridge and directed relevant federal officials in Delta and Anambra states to enforce the restriction immediately.
Umahi warned that officials who failed to discharge their responsibilities in addressing the situation would face disciplinary action.
FG Orders Comprehensive Reconstruction of Benin-Asaba Highway
In a related development, the minister disclosed that President Tinubu had directed a comprehensive redesign of the Benin-Asaba Expressway ahead of its reconstruction to address the road's deteriorating condition and improve the safety and comfort of motorists.
He said the Federal Government had cancelled an ongoing remedial contract covering the first 11 kilometres of the highway due to dissatisfaction with the quality of work executed.
Umahi expressed confidence that the planned intervention would resolve the persistent difficulties experienced by motorists and commuters along the busy transportation corridor linking Edo and Delta states.
The minister also announced plans to reconstruct 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 reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment 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, work was already underway on the 17.5-kilometre Second Niger Bridge bypass project, valued at approximately N172 billion.
He maintained that improved road connectivity remained essential to economic growth, regional integration and national development.
Oborevwori Commends Tinubu, Umahi
Meanwhile, Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, commended President Tinubu for responding promptly to concerns about the condition of the First Niger Bridge.
The governor, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said the intervention underscored the importance of developing a sustainable maintenance culture for public infrastructure.
He noted that regular maintenance was preferable to allowing public facilities to deteriorate before taking remedial action.
Oborevwori also observed that Umahi's three visits to the bridge within two months demonstrated the Federal Government's commitment to ensuring that the rehabilitation was completed.
"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," the governor said.
He emphasised that the rehabilitation went beyond improving the bridge's physical appearance, noting that it would enhance commuter safety, 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 the President and the Minister of Works for addressing concerns over the bridge's safety, describing the intervention as an example of responsive governance.
He stressed that protecting and maintaining existing infrastructure was just as important as constructing new projects.
Asagba of Asaba Hails Rehabilitation
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 service life.
Speaking on behalf of the Asaba community, the monarch commended President Tinubu and Umahi for ensuring the completion of the rehabilitation works.
He noted that the bridge played a vital role in sustaining economic and social relations 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.
The reopening of the bridge is expected to support the movement of people and goods across the Niger, while the planned road reconstruction projects are aimed at improving transportation links and boosting economic activities across the affected regions.
