FG Reopens Niger Bridge After 38 Days

Motorists travelling between Onitsha, Anambra State, and Asaba, Delta State, can now use the First Niger Bridge again after the Federal Government reopened it following about 38 days of closure for repairs, Naija News reports.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, reopened the bridge on Thursday, alongside government officials and traditional rulers from both states.

The bridge was shut on September 7 after damaged structural parts, including steel components around the expansion joints, were discovered.

The repairs were expected to end on September 21 but were delayed by persistent rainfall and other challenges.

According to The Punch, photographs of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, alongside All Progressives Congress (APC) banners, were seen on the bridge after it reopened.

Speaking at the ceremony at the Onitsha end of the bridge, Umahi urged people in the South-East and South-South to support Tinubu’s re-election bid.

He said the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects in the two regions were reasons residents should support the President.

Umahi said, “We have no regret supporting President Bola Tinubu. Let me declare, in opening this bridge, that I have no regret supporting Mr President.

“I am very proud to have him as my boss. He is the most qualified and eminently qualified to lead this country.”

The minister added that he was reopening the bridge in appreciation of the President’s work in the South-East and South-South.

He also praised the governors of Anambra and Delta states, as well as the contractor, SKCC, for their roles in the rehabilitation project.

“We must commend the contractors, SKCC, very highly; they have worked very well,” he said.

Umahi said the work was aimed at improving traffic flow and making the bridge safer for road users. However, he admitted that some parts of the job were still being completed.

Reporters who witnessed the reopening observed that some railings had been repainted, while workers were still putting finishing touches to other sections. The new road demarcations had also been painted, and CCTV cameras were installed at different points on the bridge.

During an earlier inspection, Umahi had said the bridge would be decorated with Tinubu’s photographs after the rehabilitation work.

He also ordered the removal of illegal adverts from the bridge, saying the President’s photographs would be displayed in recognition of his work in the South-East.

Naija News reports that the First Niger Bridge was completed in 1965 and serves as a major link between the South-East and South-South regions.

Traditional rulers from Anambra and Delta states at the reopening ceremony praised the Federal Government. They described the rehabilitation as the first major work of its kind since the bridge opened in 1965.

Some motorists also welcomed the reopening, saying it would reduce the stress of travelling between the two states.

They added that the closure had forced road users to take alternative routes, leading to higher transport fares.