By Maduka Nweke
Commuters who use the 2nd Niger Bridge have lampooned the federal government for not adequately protecting the facility such that it has become a playground for vandals who steal the steel plates and ultimately endanger the lives of road users.
According to most of those who spoke to Daily Sun, the fact that the bridge is porous and vulnerable to vandalisation indicates that the work on the bridge is not solid at all.
In his reaction, Mr. Chukwuemeka Cheteuya, a Principal Partner Cheteuya and Co. Civil Engineers limited, said that if the bridge was well designed and solidly built, a lot of factors would have been taken into consideration before building and commissioning it.
He said that the bridge must be able to support the weight of the vehicles and pedestrians that will use it. It is important to consider the maximum weight and number of vehicles that will be on the bridge at any one time. “The bridge must be able to withstand the elements, such as wind, rain, and snow. It must also be able to withstand changes in temperature and humidity,” he stated.
For Emeka Umeanolue, an international businessman, the design of the bridge must take into account the local environment and the surrounding landscape. The bridge should not have a negative impact on the local ecosystem, and should be designed to blend in with the surrounding area. The bridge must be designed with safety in mind. It must have guardrails and other safety features to protect the users of the bridge.
“The bridge must be accessible to all users, including people with disabilities. This includes providing ramps and other accessibility features. The cost of building the bridge must be considered. The bridge must be built within budget and be cost-effective to maintain in the long term. The construction of the bridge must be done in a way that minimizes the impact on the local environment and on the people who live and work nearby,” he noted.
Umeanolue also opined that before any bridge is said to be completed precautionary measures against vandalisation must be taken. “I think the bridge was constructed just to make the people have the bridge since they have been crying for the bridge otherwise how can the bridge said to be completed not long ago be on the news for vandalisation? Do you know how long the 3rd Mainland Bridge stayed before repair works were done on it for the first time,” he queried?
It will be recalled that recently the Minister of Works, Nweze David Umahi, received a report on the activities of vandals on the superstructure of the 2nd Niger Bridge, particularly the cruel and cowardly incident of destruction of the expansion joints used to absorb the thermal expansions of the Bridge. He expresses deep shock that reports of vandalization are still being recorded despite the presence of the private security outfit deployed by the Federal Ministry of Works to man the area.
The Minister condemned in the strongest terms the ruthless destruction of the expansion joints as a deliberate act of sabotage on a key national infrastructure that has immense socio-economic benefits to the contiguous States and indeed the entire Nation. “It is saddening that a human being with the right senses could destroy such a critical and strategic treasure that catalyses Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement.
“The 2nd Niger Bridge which was handed over to the Renewed Hope administration on 12th December 2023, after its completion, is one of the PIDF projects intended to bridge the gap in the road infrastructure yearnings of the people of the area and boost economic activities by expanding access into the southern part of Nigeria, creating vistas of tourism and trade opportunities and improving road safety along the corridor.
“But it is heartrending that the facilities are being vandalized by those who are meant to own the benefits it serves,” he said.
The Minister appreciates the public for the zeal of their concerns, particularly the patriotic young Nigerians who raised the desired alarm that trended widely in media platforms, and assured the public that a more formidable security architecture is being activated to forestall further havoc on the facilities, while a technical team has been directed to inspect, evaluate and reinstate the damaged parts of the superstructure.
He enjoins all road users, residents and authorities within the 1.6km concrete box girder bridge of the 2nd Niger Bridge, the two secondary bridges of 21.7m each on Amakon village road, the cloverleaf interchange at Onitsha-Owerri road and the approach roads between Asaba, Delta State and Onitsha, Anambra State, to help keep watch against persons who vandalize, attempt to vandalize or tamper with the road infrastructure facilities on the project, and arrest or report such persons to the nearest police station or call our hotlines – 08030986263 (SA Media)-08033389700 ( Controller of Works FMW Anambra State)- 08067736638 ( Controller of Works, FMW Delta State) or 08037056860 (Director Highways, Bridges and Design FMW).
“The Federal Ministry of Works shall promptly and handsomely reward any person or group who nabs or gives useful information on the identity of perpetrators of vandalization of facilities on the 2nd Niger Bridge or on any of our road infrastructure facilities nationwide, and shall not only ensure that such perpetrators face the full wrath of the law of the land but shall also wield the long arms of the law on those who buy or patronize such stolen facilities,” he promised.