The traditional ruler of Ubaha Oriendu Ancient Kingdom in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, Eze Phillip Ajomiwe, has expressed concern that a bridge linking Abia and Imo states through the Ubaha Oriendu-Ihite Uboma axis could soon collapse.
Ajomiwe raised the alarm while inspecting the extent of damage to the bridge, accusing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of failing to act on repeated warnings about its deteriorating condition.
The monarch said flooding caused by persistent rainfall in September had damaged part of the bridge, warning that it could collapse without urgent engineering intervention.
He called on the NDDC, the Abia State Government and relevant federal agencies to intervene immediately to prevent the infrastructure from failing.
Ajomiwe described the bridge as a vital economic and social link for farming and fishing communities, providing residents with a shorter route between the two states.
He warned that a collapse would cause significant hardship for residents and disrupt the movement of people and goods across the area.
The monarch disclosed that he had written to the NDDC in previous years about the bridge’s deteriorating condition. According to him, the commission had assured him that its rehabilitation would be included in the budget, but no action had been taken.
He appealed to the commission to honour its commitment and provide immediate remedial measures before erosion causes further damage.
“I am appealing to the NDDC to fulfill its promise because what we are seeing here is devastating. If nothing is done, the bridge may totally collapse and our people living on the other side of the river will be cut off,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ngada Bridge, which connects the Ngada Isuochi community in Umunneochi with neighbouring communities, has collapsed, disrupting pedestrian and vehicular movement.
Confirming the incident in response to enquiries by NEWSMEN, Umeh Mathias, the member representing Umunneochi Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, acknowledged the collapse and promised to take action on the matter.
