Warri – Twenty-nine year old Eru Bridge along Uzere/Asaba Ase Expressway in Isoko South Council Area of Delta state has collapse leaving not less than five communities cut off from the rest of the state.
Nigerian Observer gathered that, the incident which occurred in the early hours of Monday ,saw an unidentified Okada rider, falling victim and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Motorists and commuters, as well as farmers who daily ply the route are lamenting the untold hardship the incident has brought them .
Some of the highly flood prone communities which have been cut off include Uzere, Ekregbesi, Asaba-Ase, as well as riverine communities such as Ikpe-Irri, Abare among others.
Residents of oil bearing Uzere community have cried out to the Federal Government to intervene immediately, in order to prevent the situation from worsening.
President-general of Uzere community, Rotn. Brooklyn Essi described the incident as unfortunate, especially with the floods fast setting in.
“It is the only road that leads to Uzere presently, from which you can also access Asaba-Ase, which is at the bank of the River Niger, Nsibisi area and all that.
“It is so unfortunate that it happened this period because the floods are fast setting in. To access these towns is now a big problem except maybe by canoes.
“Right now, a proper work will have to be done. It is a federal road, so we have to notify the Federal Ministry of Works so they can send their people down to see the extent of failure of the bridge and a portion of the road. And if in a few days nothing is done, part of the road will be washed off from what we have seen.
“We actually need the presence of the Federal Government seriously now to come help the Uzere people, Ekregbisi, Abare, Asaba-Ase. In fact, this is the only link to the riverine areas. All of us have been cut off as I am talking now” the community President General , said.
According to Rotn Essi, the incident took them by surprise as there was no sign to indicate the imminent collapse of the 29-year old bridge.
Essi said: “Superficially, there was no sign. It is only now we are getting to know that the flood that has been coming year in, year out had been eating up under the bridge, the centre section of it. I passed that place barely seven minutes before the bridge collapsed, before 8am”.
He further disclosed that , prior to the construction of the bridge in 1992, the alternative access road was one constructed by Shell, “but as of now, that road is washed off”. He said.
He hinted that efforts were being made to draw the attention of the state Ministry of Works to the development.
