Road users were very happy when the bridge opened.
From December 15, 2022, to January 15, 2023, cars going from the west to the southeast through Asaba can use the bridge for a short time.
Residents of the zone had mixed feelings about it, especially marketers who used to make a lot of money during traffic jams. They complained that they might not be able to make a lot of money during the Christmas season.
When our reporter went to the bridge on Thursday, he saw that cars were going back and forth from Asaba to Onitsha without any trouble.
The drivers were glad that the bridge would make the old Niger Bridge less crowded and give them a break.
The Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), said that the second Niger Bridge was opened temporarily to help with traffic on the old bridge over the holidays.
On Thursday, there were a lot of security guards at the bridge to make sure that everyone who used it was safe.
Chukwuebuka Unekwe, Chairman of the Great Tippers Association of Nigeria, Anambra State Chapter, told our reporter that the bridge would make it easier for cars to drive on the road between Onitsha and Owerri because fewer small cars would be using that route.
Unekwe said, "Our trucks aren't allowed on the road during this temporary opening, but it's a relief to us because smaller vehicles can now use that place. This will cut down on the number of vehicles at the old River Niger Bridge."
"I've been on the bridge. It's very smooth, and cars were going very fast, but I'll tell them not to let the road fool them into speeding, which could put their lives in danger.
One of the people on the road, Mathew Okafor, said that the opening of the second Niger Bridge is a big relief for travellers, especially around Christmas.
He said, "If someone doesn't need to go to Onitsha, Nkpor, or other places, he'll use the Second Niger Bridge to avoid the stress of going by the Onitsha Bridgehead."
Ifeanyi Uche, another driver, said that the new bridge was a blessing for the south and east and that it was a good thing.
He also said that the stress people go through on the Onitsha Bridge is too much, pointing out that many people don't come home for Christmas because of the stress on the bridge.
Damian Ogudike, who is in charge of the Onitsha electronic dealers market, said that the opening of the new bridge was a good thing.
He said that the new bridge would make things easier for people coming from Asaba, Delta State, to the bridgehead.
"The immediate benefit is that it makes people less stressed when they have to cross the old bridge." He said, "I think this is a good one, and the federal government deserves credit for it."
