Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed the removal of illegal advertisements from the First Niger Bridge and ordered that pictures of President Bola Tinubu be displayed on the bridge after the ongoing rehabilitation is completed.
Umahi gave the directive on Wednesday while inspecting rehabilitation work on the bridge linking Anambra and Delta states.
According to the minister, the display of the President’s pictures would recognise what he described as Tinubu’s infrastructure projects and interventions in the South-East.
“Once we are done with work on this bridge, I want all the illegal adverts on this bridge removed. Anyone who wants to advertise should apply to the Ministry of Works. For now, the bridge will be decorated with the pictures of President Tinubu,” Umahi said.
The minister also appealed to voters in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging them not to “throw away” their votes.
Umahi questioned what Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, had attracted to the South-East and said voters should consider projects being executed in the region under the Tinubu administration.
“Peter Obi is our brother and we do not hate him, but we need to be realistic this time,” Umahi said, challenging Obi’s supporters to identify projects he had attracted to the region.
First Niger Bridge to Reopen Next Week
The minister also announced that the First Niger Bridge is expected to reopen to motorists next week, following the completion of major structural rehabilitation.
The bridge was closed earlier in September after vandalised structural components, including bolts, nuts and portions of expansion-joint steelwork, were discovered. The reopening date was subsequently extended by one week because of persistent rainfall.
Umahi said the damaged components had been replaced and that additional work was being carried out on the bridge, including the rehabilitation of the carriageway and walkways, installation of CCTV cameras and streetlights, and repainting of structural components.
He said the government would not rush to reopen the bridge until the necessary structural work had been completed.
The minister also directed that security agencies should avoid establishing checkpoints close to the bridge because of the potential impact on traffic and the bridge’s structural condition.
Umahi further called on the governments of Anambra and Delta states to monitor scrap markets in their respective states, citing concerns over vandalism of public infrastructure.
He also announced a ban on dredging activities around the bridge, warning that such activities could affect its structural integrity.
The rehabilitation is expected to initially allow traffic on one carriageway, with work continuing on the other section before it is subsequently reopened.
Source: Arise News / Channels Television / ThisDay
