Abuja, Jan. 28, 2026 (NAN)The Senate on Wednesday called on the Federal Ministry of Works to rehabilitate the collapsed bridge and failed sections of the Onitsha–Owerri, Okija spur road.
The Senate also mandated the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to initiate emergency measures to restore at least temporary and safe connectivity for road users.
Moving the motion, Sen. Emmanuel Nwachukwu (APGA–Anambra South) said the road remained a critical intra-regional corridor in the area.
According him, the road supports commerce, agriculture, education, healthcare access and other socio-economic activities across several communities in Anambra South Senatorial District.
Nwachukwu disclosed that the bridge on the road collapsed on March 5, 2025, cutting off communities, endangering lives and disrupting economic activities in the affected areas.
“The new bridge over the Ulasi stream, which has been under construction for over a decade, is only about 70 per cent completed
“Pillars have been erected and deck components fabricated but not installed, leaving the structure non-operational and the corridor impassable,” he said.
Nwachukwu noted that the collapsed bridge, the incomplete new bridge, and failed road sections between Ukpor and Ebenato heightened insecurity and increased hardship for residents in the affected communities.
Seconding the motion, Sen. Victor Umeh( LP, Anambra Central) said that immediate federal intervention was necessary to restore economic activities promptly.
The senate, in its resolution, urged the ministry of works and FERMA to rehabilitate the road and restore at least temporary safe connectivity.
It also mandated the committee on works to oversee intervention activities on the Okija spur road, collapsed bridge, and completion of the new bridge project.
Summing up the deliberations, Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged the Committee on Works to collaborate with the ministry and FERMA to ensure that the road becomes passable in the interest of Nigerians. (NAN)
