Federal Government Reopens First Niger Bridge After Repairs

The Federal Government reopened the First Niger Bridge, which connects Onitsha in Anambra State to Asaba in Delta State, on October 15 after a closure lasting 38 days for emergency rehabilitation works. The bridge was initially closed to traffic on September 7 due to the discovery of vandalized structural components, including expansion-joint steelwork.

The closure was originally scheduled to end on September 21 but was extended indefinitely due to persistent rainfall and other delays. At the reopening ceremony, Minister of Works Dave Umahi, accompanied by federal and state representatives and traditional rulers, urged residents of the South-East and South-South to support President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid, citing the government's infrastructure projects in the regions.

Umahi expressed pride in supporting President Tinubu and commended the governors of Anambra and Delta states, as well as the contractor SKCC, for their contributions to the project. He noted that while repairs aimed to improve traffic flow and safety, the work was not yet fully completed.