The Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led Delta State Task Force on COVID-19, has disbanded the barricade erected at the Niger Bridge by Willie Obiano led Anambra state government.
Igbere TV had on Sunday reported the discovery of a giant gate mounted across the popular bridge, preventing both human and vehicular movements.
The bridge connects both Anambra and Delta states, and leads to other states including Imo and Abia. It was shut following the coronavirus-imposed lockdown.
But in a statement sent to Igbere TV, however, the Delta State’s Oshimili South COVID-19 Task Force on boundary enforcement said it had pulled down the barricade.
Signed by its chairman, Innocent Esewezie, he said the barricade at the Asaba-end had to be pulled down “to ensure there is passage and movement of vehicles on essential duties only across the border.”
“You will recall that as part of measures to curtail and curb the spread of the global pandemic, COVID-19, the 36 State Governors agreed on restricted interstate movement of humans and vehicles but only allowing movement of persons on essential duties and vehicles conveying essential goods such as agricultural, medical and pharmaceutical products across borders.
“The Delta State Government thereafter set up the State COVID-19 Taskforce on Boundary Enforcement to ensure unauthorized persons and goods do not find their way into the State and this has helped, to a very great extend to curb the spread of the Coronavirus within the State.
“Sadly, only recently, the Anambra State Government took the movement restriction a step too far by totally restricting movement of even essentials across the Niger Bridge thereby causing a very heavy and agonizing build-up of traffic comprising of trailers and trucks stretching from the Head bridge all the way to Koka Junction and even beyond thus causing untold hardship on the citizens and also adding more structural stress to the already weakened Niger bridge. Moreso, erecting an iron barricade to achieve their aim,” the statement added.
