REPORTER: OBY ARINZE
The reopening of the First Niger Bridge has suffered another setback, as the Federal Government says the bridge will remain closed until major structural rehabilitation works are completed.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, stated this on Wednesday during an inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation works at the Onitsha Bridge Head.
Senator Umahi explained that the Federal Government would not reopen the strategic bridge linking Anambra and Delta States until it is safe for motorists, noting that government would not be pressured into reopening the bridge at the expense of public safety.
The bridge was closed after the discovery of vandalised structural components, including bolts, nuts and parts of the expansion-joint steelwork.
Although the bridge was initially expected to reopen on September twenty-first, persistent rainfall has affected the rehabilitation works, leading to a further extension of the closure.
The Minister, who expressed satisfaction with the progress of work within the period, however, stressed that safety would remain the priority and directed the contractor to carry out additional works, including the repainting of structural elements, bridge caps and some internal sections of the carriageway.
He further directed the completion of CCTV cameras on the bridge and their connection to the Second Niger Bridge to strengthen security and monitoring.
The Minister explained that one carriageway could be opened to traffic once the concrete attains the required strength, while rehabilitation continues on the other carriageway.
The development means that motorists and businesses that depend on the First Niger Bridge will have to cope with the disruption for a longer period, as the Federal Government insists on completing the critical rehabilitation works before reopening the facility.
