ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Federal Government has announced a ban on sand mining within a 10-kilometre radius of the River Niger to safeguard the first and second Niger bridges.
The Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, made this disclosure on Friday in Asaba during the commissioning of the Second Niger Bridge “Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras Monitoring Centre.”
He explained that the Federal Executive Council took the decision as part of efforts to protect critical federal infrastructure across the country.
According to him, tolling on the Second Niger Bridge will not commence until all access roads on the Anambra and Delta sides are completed.
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He added that the CCTV monitoring centre is intended to ensure adequate security along the federal highway.
“The tollgate is ready, but we won’t start tolling on the road until we complete the access roads and bypass roads that lead to the bridge.
“The idea is that there will be no security checkpoints on the road; police and other security agencies will be at the CCTV monitoring centre and provide rapid response to emergencies within five minutes,” he said.
Umahi also directed the Police Command in Delta State to enforce the ban and arrest offenders.
In his remarks, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, praised the Federal Government for successfully completing the Second Niger Bridge and highlighted the socio-economic benefits of the project.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Igwe of Obosi, Chidubem Iweka, noted that the bridge’s opening has eased traffic on the first bridge and improved movement during and after the yuletide.
Iweka expressed confidence that the installation of the security cameras would boost commuter safety and called for the swift completion of the access roads to the Second Niger Bridge.