By Vincent Ujumadu
AWKA — The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has ordered the temporary closure of the old Niger Bridge for major rehabilitation works.
Umahi, who spoke at the Ogbunike interchange linking Anambra State to the Second Niger Bridge, said the closure would take effect seven days from Friday, with traffic diverted to the Second Niger Bridge.
He said the closure was necessary to enable the installation of solar-powered streetlights and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on the bridge.
“Seven days from today (Friday), we are going to close the first Niger Bridge and traffic will be diverted to the second Niger Bridge so that we can install the solar lights and the CCTV.
“We will restore the first Niger Bridge to the same quality as the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. That is the message and directive of Mr President,” Umahi said.
The minister also urged people of the South-East to appreciate the projects being undertaken by President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the region while asking for more development.
He expressed concern over what he described as frequent complaints of marginalisation by some content creators in the South-East whenever there was a challenge in the region.
Umahi questioned what such critics had to say about previous administrations, which he said did not undertake comparable projects in the region.
He urged the people of the South-East to support Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that doing so would enable the region to benefit from the continuation of the administration’s projects.
“South-East people must vote for the president in 2027. If they are insulting me, it is not my business because they can’t face me face to face. So it makes me happy that I am taking the attention of those insulting me. But the truth remains the truth,” he said.
Umahi added: “Vote for President Tinubu so that these dividends of democracy will continue, even in improved form, after the election.
“Let it not be that when other people are voting, the people of the South-East will be playing football and tomorrow we will start to complain. It is not acceptable.”
The former Ebonyi State governor said the South-East had never witnessed the level of road infrastructure development currently being undertaken under the Tinubu administration.
“I was a governor, a deputy governor and party chairman, and never in the history of the South-East did we witness even five per cent of what we are witnessing now. All our roads are being fixed and we are taking them for granted,” he said.
Umahi further said the 2027 election would provide an opportunity for the South-East to demonstrate its appreciation for the Federal Government’s interventions in the region.
He urged the people to avoid what he described as regional politics, hatred and sentiment, saying political support should be based on mutual interests.
“Our votes will not make our brother president and if you are insulting me because of our brother, you are wasting time because we are friends.
“I am telling him to support the president because he cannot win. When our time comes, other people will support us. We will not play regional politics and politics of hate and sentiment,” Umahi said.
He expressed confidence that Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election, adding that political forces supporting the President were working together in Anambra State.
He also thanked the President for what he described as his administration’s interventions in the South-East, saying the region had regained its pride of place in Nigeria.
Umahi further assured contractors handling various Federal Government projects that outstanding certificates generated for completed work would soon be paid.
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