There is danger on the Niger Bridge, which links Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra State and Asaba, the Delta State capital. Owing to wears and tears, the bridge is on the verge of collapse.

Indeed, if Niger Bridge were human, her uncontrollable cries, wailing and weeping could have reached the high heaven. This is because, at 48, the bridge has been constantly over-used and stretched beyond its limit and capacity without properly taken care of. Each time a vehicle, especially heavy duty truck, passes the bridge, figuratively, cringes and makes a cranky noise to demonstrate its anguish, pains and sorrow.

The evidence of the bad state of the Niger Bridge manifested during the last Christmas, as South easterners and South southerners travelled home. Commuters, from both ends of the bridge, spent more time crossing over than before. Most of them spent about six hours on the queue, waiting to cross the bridge. To cross the bridge, only one-way traffic, instead of two ways, was allowed.

Saturday Sun checks revealed that road safety personnel decided to allow only one-way traffic at a time to avoid the collapse of the bridge, as they said the Niger bridge would not survive if vehicles queue on it, in the event of traffic jam.

Although, there’s a two-way traffic at present, when a trailer or any other heavy duty truck is accessing the bridge, a heavy cranky noise and vibration are experienced. As a result, there’s a warning to motorists, on the bridge, not to stop but move at the speed of 80 kilometres per hour.

A Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) official, Roseline Anogo, told Saturday Sun that operatives of the corps now ensure that there is free flow of traffic on the bridge. She revealed that they do not allow vehicles to stop on the bridge, which informed the one-way traffic policy being implemented during the festive period.

She said: “All manner of vehicles, including trailers carrying cements, trucks, heavy-duty vehicles, trucks and other haulage vehicles with heavy loads use the bridge. Such vehicles should not stop on the bridge, for whatever purpose.

“The one-way traffic on the bridge during the Christmas journey did make motorists spend hours at Asaba or Onistha before crossing over. Those times were very tedious for us trying to control the surging traffic. When you are on top of the bridge, when a heavy duty trucks passes, it seems as if you are bouncing; there is no doubt that the bridge is no more strong.”

Saturday Sun’s recent visit to the Niger Bridge revealed its true state. Checks on the bridge revealed that it is actually dilapidating, as the bolts, nuts and some of the steel bars are at different stages of rusting or corrosion. Also, the concrete base or pillar at the Onitsha end of the bridge shows signs of cracks.

See more info here: http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/niger-bridge-is-falling/

Common brigde! Are we this poor! Brigde a village here can pay and build a new one in weeks!! Shame on anambra state govt! Shame on the so called rich ppl in onitsha! Shame at the ppl of asaba and their govt!!!! Tufia!! Are ppl really waiting for fed govt to build a new one!
What's wrong in taking care of urself? Assuming no one else has brain inthat part of the country,lemme suggest one. Why not both state govt come together and build a new d brigde then tax any plate number that isn't from both state that uses the Bridge even the city of asab and onitsha can do this without any external help!! What exactly are the leaders in nigeria doing?? Do they just go to office,gossip and home??

Toaskarity: Common brigde! Are we this poor! Brigde a village here can pay and build a new one in weeks!! Shame on anambra state govt! Shame on the so called rich ppl in onitsha! Shame at the ppl of asaba and their govt!!!! Tufia!! Are ppl really waiting for fed govt to build a new one!
What's wrong in taking care of urself? Assuming no one else has brain inthat part of the country,lemme suggest one. Why not both state govt come together and build a new d brigde then tax any plate number that isn't from both state that uses the Bridge even the city of asab and onitsha can do this without any external help!! What exactly are the leaders in nigeria doing?? Do they just go to office,gossip and home??

Guy its not as easy as u think o. We're talking of a bridge of about N100bilion here, don't think there's any 'village' in the world that can do that. But on a more serious note sha, i think the federal goverment is just playing politics with the whole issue. Or maybe there's a plot somewhere to allow d bridge collapse, cutting off the east in the process

Toaskarity: Common brigde! Are we this poor! Brigde a village here can pay and build a new one in weeks!! Shame on anambra state govt! Shame on the so called rich ppl in onitsha! Shame at the ppl of asaba and their govt!!!! Tufia!! Are ppl really waiting for fed govt to build a new one!
What's wrong in taking care of urself? Assuming no one else has brain inthat part of the country,lemme suggest one. Why not both state govt come together and build a new d brigde then tax any plate number that isn't from both state that uses the Bridge even the city of asab and onitsha can do this without any external help!! What exactly are the leaders in nigeria doing?? Do they just go to office,gossip and home??

think you don't know the bridge in question! Or you think it is the bridge on the stream in your village? Though you are right to an extent. But the nigerian condition may not warrant the citizen to give such amount of money on such project when we all know the amount each politician is embezzling daily which is enough to finance many of such project.
Moreover, the bridge is a federal government property so you may need to count the state goverment out of the renovation.

Toaskarity: Common brigde! Are we this poor! Brigde a village here can pay and build a new one in weeks!! Shame on anambra state govt! Shame on the so called rich ppl in onitsha! Shame at the ppl of asaba and their govt!!!! Tufia!! Are ppl really waiting for fed govt to build a new one!
What's wrong in taking care of urself? Assuming no one else has brain inthat part of the country,lemme suggest one. Why not both state govt come together and build a new d brigde then tax any plate number that isn't from both state that uses the Bridge even the city of asab and onitsha can do this without any external help!! What exactly are the leaders in nigeria doing?? Do they just go to office,gossip and home??

I want to say are you mad?but I will be polite and ask if you are alright. How do you expect individuals and state govt to build or fix a massive bridge like dat for FG. When dey are busy building banquet hall for billions. How come my governor (fashola) was waiting for FG to come and fix apapa oshodi expressway why didn't we do it with the rich individuals and companies in lagos state. My brother use your head for once.

Niger bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down........Niger bridge is falling down, my dear lady! We must build it up again, up again, up again, we must build it up again, my dear lady!



Hope this garrischool poem is not about to come-to-pass.

This is one of GEJ's promise to the East...I hope he still remembers?

It would be utterly shameful and disastrous if the Niger Bridge were to collapse (Chineke ekwekwa ihe ojoo). Serving as one of the few bridges (if not the only) that link the East and the Midwest, the bridge is extremely important both economically and politically. Imagine what would happen to the multitude of Onicha businessmen and businesswomen if the gateway to their markets in the West collapsed? Scarier yet, imagine the resounding impact it would have on the rest of the South East's economy...

Anyway, if the federal government continues to neglect its duty, I hope that Delta and Anambra can collaborate to either repair it or build a second one.

water will find its level joor. if the bridge collapses, igbos will go down to south south and connect to wherever they are going. all those times those eastern roads were cut off during the military era due to erosion and stuff, were we not coming and going? na una go suffer am pass. if igboman use 10k instead of5k to reach im villa, una go pay for am when una come im shop come buy any. stifling the igbo will only stifle you guys as well. my own is that may God not allow me be on that bridge whenever it caves in. not my portion IJN.

Under the watchful Eye of PDP and the Cabals.

Everything scatter scatter

FRESH AIR

@ malaria or whatever, you need to see your doctor, your sickness is outer this world.

[quote
author=Toaskarity]Common brigde! Are we this poor! Brigde a village
here can pay and build a new one in weeks!! Shame on anambra state govt!
Shame on the so called rich ppl in onitsha! Shame at the ppl of asaba
and their govt!!!! Tufia!! Are ppl really waiting for fed govt to build a
new one!
What's wrong in taking care of urself? Assuming no one else has brain
inthat part of the country,lemme suggest one. Why not both state govt
come together and build a new d brigde then tax any plate number that
isn't from both state that uses the Bridge even the city of asab and
onitsha can do this without any external help!! What exactly are the
leaders in nigeria doing?? Do they just go to office,gossip and
home??[/quote]ITS OBVIOUS DAT U RE DRUNK. DO U KNW HOW MUCH IS AT STAKE.anumanu

Thought this was some poem!

Justosaus:
Guy its not as easy as u think o. We're talking of a bridge of about N100bilion here, don't think there's any 'village' in the world that can do that. But on a more serious note sha, i think the federal goverment is just playing politics with the whole issue. Or maybe there's a plot somewhere to allow d bridge collapse, cutting off the east in the process

While I understand that the bridge is a FG bridge, but the economic and financial benefit of that bridge (when collapsed), will be rippled through the entire SE. I was hoping that by now, at least Anambra state will take the lead to create better alternative of routing traffic in case of collapse.

Anambra may not have the billion $$$ to build a new one, but tens of thousands of cars, buses, trailer, = hundreds of thousands and millions of people and goods are moved on the bridge daily, let alone the economic benefit, this thus far outweighs the cost. I think it's time to takeover that bridge and start a newer one.

Cutting off the SE economically will hurt Nigeria than make it better, I mean that's common sense. The SE is not an economy to ignore in the scheme of things, in fact, with the newer port commissioning soon, that may or may not even work.

It cant fall.. Mbanu

Ah! Tor.

i dont knw the bridge u guys are talking abt here, is it the one i just passed on my way back from work? the same one that has heavy traffic right nw? the same one with more than two lanes of cars?
granted, we need anoda bridge, but to say the present bridge is abt to fall is a complete white lie.

All our Governments do is to seat in the office and dance kukere with Our Financ. . . Oh Naija my Country!

9ja land of chaos and confusion......i hear of millionz,billionz and trillionz budget and expenditure from our leader's everyday from the media.....yet the country is falling apart,people are dieing in poverty,people are wailing in sorrow,people die on our roadz,our brigdes are detriorating and dilapidating everyday....yet out leaderz dey ASO ROCK dey flex muscle....no jobs for school graduates....having access to loan as an entreprenue is a story for another day......people are emigrating massively by the day.....our people abroad are afraid of coming home....i see no hope in the eyes of our fellow citizen,killingz here and there....bombing....kidnappings....car snathingz......Boyz are not smiling oooooooo
9ja i hail o

Toaskarity: Common brigde! Are we this poor! Brigde a village here can pay and build a new one in weeks!! Shame on anambra state govt! Shame on the so called rich ppl in onitsha! Shame at the ppl of asaba and their govt!!!! Tufia!! Are ppl really waiting for fed govt to build a new one!
What's wrong in taking care of urself? Assuming no one else has brain inthat part of the country,lemme suggest one. Why not both state govt come together and build a new d brigde then tax any plate number that isn't from both state that uses the Bridge even the city of asab and onitsha can do this without any external help!! What exactly are the leaders in nigeria doing?? Do they just go to office,gossip and home??

i felt an unhealthy swell of anger in my chest while i read ur post but thanks to the posters below you, i have learnt to keep my calm. but if i were you i'll make my research and modify that post.

AND OBJ COMMISSIONED 2ND NAIJA BRIDGE WITH NOTHING DONE.

vin4ever: All our Governments do is to seat in the office and dance kukere with Our Financ. . . Oh Naija my Country!

LOL....

Toaskarity: Common brigde! Are we this poor! Brigde a village here can pay and build a new one in weeks!! Shame on anambra state govt! Shame on the so called rich ppl in onitsha! Shame at the ppl of asaba and their govt!!!! Tufia!! Are ppl really waiting for fed govt to build a new one!
What's wrong in taking care of urself? Assuming no one else has brain inthat part of the country,lemme suggest one. Why not both state govt come together and build a new d brigde then tax any plate number that isn't from both state that uses the Bridge even the city of asab and onitsha can do this without any external help!! What exactly are the leaders in nigeria doing?? Do they just go to office,gossip and home??

It seems as if u are not a Nigerian. How do u expect state govt. And individual to do Federal govt. Work. The bridge is federal Bridge and not a small bridge. Maybe u were thinking it was a minor Bridge at ur back yard

Niger bridge will be rebuilt after it must have collapsed.

Hopeless country, the money stolen by 2 federal directors in abuja can be collected and used to build a new bridge. Yeye country

Aafulenu: i dont knw the bridge u guys are talking abt here, is it the one i just passed on my way back from work? the same one that has heavy traffic right nw? the same one with more than two lanes of cars?
granted, we need anoda bridge, but to say the present bridge is abt to fall is a complete white lie.

my dear why not come down from that vehicle and go under the bridge to confirm whether there is crack or not.

Nigeria is a useless nation what are they waiting for ..is it when it has collapsed and killed many travellers that's when they will think of tackling the problems...yeye jagajaga nation

I Hate 9ja: 9ja land of chaos and confusion......i hear of millionz,billionz and trillionz budget and expenditure from our leader's everyday from the media.....yet the country is falling apart,people are dieing in poverty,people are wailing in sorrow,people die on our roadz,our brigdes are detriorating and dilapidating everyday....yet our leaderz dey ASO ROCK dey flex muscle....no jobs for school graduates....having access to loan as an entrepreneur is a story for another day......people are emigrating massively by the day.....our people abroad are afraid of coming home....i see no hope in the eyes of our fellow citizen,killingz here and there....bombingz....kidnappingz....car snachingz......Boyz are not smiling oooooooo
9ja i hail o

wat a country....where the Law enacted into our constitution are made for the poor and not for our leaderz who commitz the crime...they go on BAIL while the poor go to JAIL.....oga ooo

Sijo01: Niger bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down........Niger bridge is falling down, my dear lady! We must build it up again, up again, up again, we must build it up again, my dear lady!



Hope this garrischool poem is not about to come-to-pass.

I dey sure sai na gari school you go. If to sai you go butter school like me you for know sai na my fair lady and not my dear lady.