by Oge Okonkwo

The  40-year-old Eguhuo Bridge in Agba, Ishiellu Local Government Area of Ebonyi state, eastern Nigeria, on Wednesday,  collapsed after a heavy downpour.

The rainfall prevented vehicles from gaining access into communities, thus paralysing economic activities in areas  such as  Ogboji, Eguhuo, Eguotu, Eguogiji and Onunweke, as the bridge was a link to Amagunze in Enugu state.

PM News reports:

Chief Julius Nworkpor, who represents the area in the state assembly, told NAN that the situation had made it impossible for the people to gain access to their communities with vehicles.

“Before this unfortunate situation, a journey to Enugu State from the area took about 30 minutes but now its lasts for some hours.

“Indigenes of the area who wish to access their communities from Abakaliki now have to get to Enugu through the Enugu-Abakaliki expressway and then take Abani to reach the place,” he said.

Nwokpor said this was the second time the bridge was caving-in in three years.

Conducting journalists and a team of engineers round the bridge, the state’s Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Chukwuma Nwandugo, said the bridge caved-in due to heavy traffic.

“The pressure weakened the bridge and forced the abutment to cut off from the metal reinforcement. The unity bridge beside it could have been completed before now, but it was discovered it was poorly designed and could pose serious threat to users,” he said.

The commissioner said the contractor, who is now dead, did a shoddy job on the foundation design which forced work to stop on the project.
He urged the people to be patient, adding that the government would expedite action to work on the bridge to ensure that economic and social activities returned to the area.