The Federal Government has reopened the First Niger Bridge linking Onitsha, Anambra State, and Asaba, Delta State, after 38 days of emergency rehabilitation, with new CCTV cameras, solar-powered streetlights and traffic safety installations.
The Federal Government has reopened the First Niger Bridge linking Onitsha, Anambra State, and Asaba, Delta State, after 38 days of closure for emergency rehabilitation and maintenance.
The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, reopened the bridge on Thursday, October 15, following repairs aimed at improving structural safety, strengthening security and restoring vehicular movement between Nigeria’s South-East and South-South regions.
The bridge was closed to traffic on September 7 after the discovery of vandalised structural components, including bolts, nuts and sections of steelwork around its expansion joints. The closure was initially scheduled to end on September 21 but was extended because persistent rainfall affected the rehabilitation work.
Speaking at the reopening ceremony, Umahi said the intervention reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to maintaining critical national infrastructure.
He explained that the repairs were necessary to address concerns about the bridge’s structural condition, inadequate maintenance and the alleged removal of bolts from its steel components.
The minister said the rehabilitation included improvements to the road surface, installation of solar-powered streetlights and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and additional measures to improve traffic management.
According to him, median barriers and three designated turnaround points had also been provided to assist motorists during emergencies and vehicle breakdowns.
Umahi disclosed that security observation centres were being established at both ends of the bridge to enable continuous monitoring of activities around and beneath the structure.
He said the measures were intended to protect the ageing infrastructure against excessive loading, congestion, vandalism and other activities that could threaten its safety and durability.
The minister also warned against indiscriminate sand dredging near the bridge, stating that federal regulations prohibited dredging within a 10-kilometre radius of federal bridges.
He expressed concern over alleged dredging activities close to the First Niger Bridge and directed officials in Delta and Anambra states to enforce the restriction. He warned that officials who failed to act could face disciplinary measures.
On the Benin-Asaba Expressway, Umahi said the Federal Government had ordered a comprehensive redesign of the highway ahead of its reconstruction.
He disclosed that the government had cancelled a remedial contract covering the first 11 kilometres of the road because of dissatisfaction with the quality of work.
The minister also announced plans to reconstruct about 400 kilometres of the East-West Road, describing it as a spur of the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to major road projects across the Niger Delta and South-East, including sections of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge bypass.
Umahi said the 17.5-kilometre Second Niger Bridge bypass, estimated to cost about N172 billion, was under construction.
He maintained that improved road connectivity remained essential to economic growth, regional integration, trade and national development.
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori commended President Tinubu for responding to concerns about the condition and safety of the First Niger Bridge.
The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said the rehabilitation highlighted the importance of sustained maintenance of public infrastructure.
He noted that Umahi’s three visits to the bridge within two months demonstrated the Federal Government’s attention to the project.
Oborevwori warned that a possible collapse of the bridge would have serious consequences for the movement of people and the economies of the South-East and South-South.
“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.
The governor added that the intervention went beyond improving the bridge’s appearance, stressing that it would help protect commuters, facilitate trade and strengthen connections among communities.
He expressed appreciation to Tinubu and Umahi for addressing public concerns about the bridge’s safety.
Similarly, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, described the rehabilitation as a significant intervention that would strengthen the structure and extend its service life.
Azinge commended the Federal Government for completing the works, noting that the bridge remained vital to economic and social relations between Delta and Anambra states.
“This may be the second most comprehensive intervention made so far on this bridge since its construction shortly before the Civil War,” he said.
The First Niger Bridge remains a major transport link between the South-East and South-South, supporting the movement of commuters, goods and services between Onitsha and Asaba.
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