Umahi Announces First Niger Bridge Reopening Next Week, Orders Tinubu Pictures

Umahi Announces First Niger Bridge Reopening Next Week, Orders Tinubu Pictures

Minister of Works David Umahi has directed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s pictures be displayed on the First Niger Bridge after the completion of ongoing rehabilitation work on the major transport link between Anambra and Delta states.

Umahi gave the directive during an inspection of the rehabilitation work at the Onitsha end of the bridge, which has been closed to traffic following the reported vandalisation of critical structural components.

The minister also ordered the removal of illegal advertisements displayed on the bridge, directing that any future advertisement on the facility must receive approval from the Federal Ministry of Works.

Umahi further directed the Senior Special Assistants to the President in the South-East and South-South to coordinate the beautification of the bridge with photographs of Tinubu.

The minister said the directive was intended to acknowledge the President’s intervention in the rehabilitation of the bridge and the quality of work being undertaken.

The directive has generated reactions, with some groups questioning the appropriateness of displaying the photographs of a sitting president on federal infrastructure.

The controversy comes as the Federal Government works to complete emergency rehabilitation of the First Niger Bridge, which was shut to traffic after vandals allegedly removed bolts, nuts and other components of the bridge’s expansion joints.

The Federal Ministry of Works initially announced that the bridge would be closed from September 7 to September 21 for emergency repairs. The reopening was later extended by one week because persistent rainfall affected construction activities.

Umahi said the Federal Government expects the bridge to reopen next week, but stressed that it would only be reopened after the critical structural work had been completed and the necessary safety requirements met.

According to the minister, contractors have made progress in replacing the vandalised components, including bolts and the specialised expansion joint removed from the bridge.

He also directed additional work, including the repainting of structural components, bridge caps and sections of the inner carriageway.

As part of efforts to improve security around the facility, Umahi ordered the installation of additional solar-powered streetlights and the completion of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on the bridge.

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He directed that the CCTV system be linked with the Second Niger Bridge to improve surveillance around the two major infrastructure facilities.

The minister also disclosed that a committee had been established to assess the condition of the bridge both above and below the water level.

The assessment is expected to provide information on the structural condition of the facility and guide future maintenance and rehabilitation work.

Umahi further directed that no security checkpoint should be established within 200 metres of the bridge, saying checkpoints in the immediate vicinity could contribute to traffic congestion and place additional pressure on the facility.

He also called on the governments of Anambra and Delta states to strengthen monitoring of scrap markets following concerns that vandals could be removing components from public infrastructure and selling them as scrap.

The First Niger Bridge, which links Onitsha in Anambra State with Asaba in Delta State, is a major route connecting the South-East and South-South with other parts of Nigeria.

The current rehabilitation became necessary after the reported vandalisation of components considered important to the bridge’s structural integrity.

Umahi said the Federal Government would prioritise safety rather than rush the reopening, adding that the bridge would return to service once the outstanding repairs had been completed.

The minister also used the inspection to highlight the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects in the South-East and urged residents of the region to take such projects into account ahead of the 2027 general election.

Umahi noted that the South-East did not strongly support Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election but argued that the administration had continued to execute projects in the region.

He also questioned supporters of former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over projects Obi had attracted to the South-East.

The comments have added a political dimension to the debate surrounding the rehabilitation of the First Niger Bridge, particularly as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 elections.

Umahi Announces First Niger Bridge Reopening Next Week, Orders Tinubu Pictures