By John Odhe, YENAGOA
The former governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Bayelsa State, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, has raised the alarm over the deteriorating condition of the Tombia-Amassoma Bridge in the State, warning that the structure could collapse if urgent remediation work was not carried out.
The Tombia-Amassoma bridge constructed during the first civilian administration of the late former governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha is quite strategic because it links Yenagoa, the State capital to critical State assets such as the International Airport and the Niger Delta University, Amassoma.
Eradiri, who is a production engineer and an expert in dredging technology said in a statement that severe erosion around the bridge has weakened parts of the structure, describing the situation as a disaster waiting to happen, especially with the anticipated flooding season fast approaching.
According to him, the increasing depth of the river and continuous erosion along the river bank were threatening the stability of the bridge.
The former Ijaw Youth leader and former commissioner for Labour and Productivity called on the governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, to urgently intervene before the arrival of heavy floods, stressing that immediate action would help avert a major disaster.
Eradiri added that failure to address the erosion problem around the bridge could endanger lives and disrupt transportation along the busy Tombia-Amassoma road.
