Niger Bridge Closure: FRSC Deploys Officers to Manage Onitsha Traffic

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra Command, says it has deployed personnel to strategic locations in Onitsha and its environs ahead of the temporary closure of the Niger Bridge for maintenance work.

The bridge is scheduled to be shut to traffic from September 7 to September 21 to allow for the timely completion of the maintenance project.

The state Sector Commander of the corps, Mrs Bridget Asekhauno, disclosed this on Sunday during a road audit of major routes connecting to the Second Niger Bridge.

She said the personnel deployment forms part of proactive measures by the corps, working in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to ensure effective traffic management, smooth vehicular movement and the safety of road users throughout the two-week closure.

Asekhauno was accompanied on the audit by the Sector Head of Operations, Federal Ministry of Works, Anambra, Mr Timothy Emenike; his counterpart from Delta State; and the Commander of the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency. The audit focused on assessing alternative routes and identifying areas that require urgent intervention.

The sector commander urged motorists to make use of identified alternative routes leading to the Second Niger Bridge, listing them as the Nkpor Old Road, Obosi Road, the Onitsha-Owerri Road from Upper Iweka, and the Atani Road through Uga Junction to the Harbour Industrial Layout.

She assured motorists that the FRSC, working alongside other traffic management agencies and stakeholders in Anambra and Delta states, was prepared to manage traffic flow and respond promptly to emergencies throughout the closure period.

"Motorists are advised to plan their journeys, obey traffic directives from traffic control personnel, and avoid unnecessary stopping or parking along the routes," Asekhauno said. "We are also appealing to motorists to exercise patience and refrain from dangerous driving. They should also cooperate with personnel deployed in strategic locations during the period of the project."

She added that the cooperation and compliance of road users would help achieve safe and seamless traffic movement during the closure period.