Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, ordered the opening of the bridge, which is 95 percent completion stage, to ease traffic during the Yuletide.
Federal Controller of Works in Delta State, Mr Jimoh Olawale, who made the disclosure in Asaba, however, said the bridge would be opened for only 30 days.
“As we know, during the Christmas celebration, commuters suffer hardship accessing the old Niger Bridge due to traffic jam but with this arrangement, traffic congestion on Asaba-Benin Expressway will ease.
“We have notified the state government on this arrangement and we are working with the Federal Roads Safety Corps to ensure a hitch free vehicular movement.
“Motorist going towards Owerri direction would divert through the access road near the old Niger Bridge to the new bridge,” the controller added.
Olawale debunked claims by a group alleging that Federal Government had abandoned the payment of compensation to property owners along the access road to the second Niger Bridge.
He explained that the government had not taken possession of any property along the 17 kilometre Okpanam-Ibusa-Asaba-Oko bypass to the new bridge, but only served notice that their structures were within the government right of way.
The controller assured that the modalities for payment of compensations were being worked out.
