RismadarVoice Reporters
September 24, 2026
Minister of Works David Umahi has directed that pictures of President Bola Tinubu be displayed on the First Niger Bridge following the completion of ongoing rehabilitation work.
Umahi gave the directive on Wednesday while inspecting the bridge at the Onitsha end in Anambra State, saying the display would recognise the President’s intervention in the rehabilitation of the critical infrastructure linking Anambra and Delta states.
“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 said Tinubu deserved recognition for infrastructure projects being undertaken by his administration in the South-East.
Umahi also ordered the removal of illegal advertisements from the bridge, saying future advertisements would require approval from the Federal Ministry of Works.
He further directed contractors to install additional solar-powered lights and complete the closed-circuit television surveillance system, which would be linked to security infrastructure at the Second Niger Bridge.
The minister disclosed that a committee had been constituted to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the First Niger Bridge, including inspections above and below the water level, and submit its findings to the government.
The bridge, which connects Onitsha in Anambra State with Asaba in Delta State, was closed to traffic earlier in September following the discovery of vandalised structural components, including bolts, nuts and parts of its expansion joints.
Its closure was subsequently extended by one week after persistent rainfall disrupted rehabilitation work.
Umahi said the Federal Government would not rush to reopen the bridge until critical structural repairs had been completed, indicating that it could reopen to motorists the following week, subject to the completion of the necessary work.
The rehabilitation includes the replacement of vandalised bolts and expansion joints, repairs to the carriageway and pedestrian walkways, as well as the installation of CCTV cameras and streetlights.
Umahi also called for increased monitoring of scrap markets in Anambra and Delta states as part of measures to curb the vandalism and sale of components removed from public infrastructure.
