•Bridge not on our priority list, says Delta govt
Asaba Ase, a coastal community on the bank of River Niger, faces an existential threat on two fronts: rapid erosion of its shoreline by the relentless advancement of River Niger and the collapse of a bridge that hampers evacuation of farm produce from the agrarian community.
While the intense gnawing of its shoreline by the slow moving and muddy-looking River Niger constitutes a frightening prospect, a yet more pressing challenge to its inhabitants, particularly subsistence farmers and fishermen, is the collapse of the only bridge that links it with the outside world.
Simply put, without the Ase Bridge, Asaba Ase’s socio-economic survival is slim.
Aside the above major threats to its existence, the community also lacks electricity, viable primary health care, potable water and education. Its only primary school functions only during the dry season.
Situated on the confluence of River Niger and River Ase, the community benefits from the perennial inundation of its farmlands by River Niger, which deposits rich alluvial materials that nourish its soil, resulting in bountiful harvests of yams, plantains, sweet potatoes, pepper, groundnuts, vegetables and fish.
Consequently, over the years, Asaba Ase Market has grown into a thriving economic hub, attracting traders from 25 neighbouring coastal communities, and traders from Bayelsa and Rivers states and far beyond.
Despite its illustrious past as host to international conglomerates like John Holt, Thomas Welch and United African Company (UAC) since 1920, Asaba Ase has regressed, with only relics of warehouses as a sad reminder to the key roles it played in their respective commercial successes.
The only passage into the community is the bridge over Ase creek, which collapsed in 2012 in the aftermath of the floods that devastated many parts of the country, including Delta State.
In 13 years since the bridge collapsed, no assistance has come from the federal or the state government, despite repeated pleas by its hapless inhabitants.
And with no assistance from Delta State Government in sight, the community had to resort to self-help by constructing an 80-ft long wooden bridge derisively referred to as “Pako Bridge” by locals.
Lamenting the neglect of Asaba-Ase by successive governments, a former PDP councilor for Ward 15 and Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Union (NURTW) Ndokwa Branch ‘B’, Prince Newworld Odoni, appealed to the Delta State Government to come to their aid and save them from extinction.
Odoni urged the state government to keep the promise made to community leaders last year to prioritise the rebuilding of the bridge, adding that the collapsed bridge is negatively impacting on the local economy.
He said farmers have been compelled to trade their wares over two separate market days to enable them dispose of farm produce easily. According to him, should all the neighbouring farmers converge on Asaba Ase on the main market day, many farmers will suffer huge losses due to poor patronage.
His words: “In the past, this market extended from the waterfront to the bus stop; a distance of over 200 metres. But due to coastal erosion and the collapsed bridge, the market has shrunk in size.
“With the current condition of the bridge, only motorcycles, tricycles and light vehicles are allowed to use the bridge.
“Also, the farmers decided to trade on two separate days with three days interval to ensure that produce are sold easily. One set of farmers will sell on “Ogede” market day while the other set will come on “Orie” market day, which is three days after.
“Today, which is “Ogede”, is for farmers from Rivers and Bayelsa states while “Orie” is for farmers from Delta state.”
He said patronage from neighbouring communities have dwindled considerably since 2012 when the bridge collapsed.
“When the bridge was good, we had over 500 motorcycles, 1,000 tricycles and 500 heavy duty trucks coming into Asaba Ase on market days. But today, motorcycles are in the region of 100 while tricycles are about 300.
“All the heavy vehicles are parked before the wooden bridge because they are disallowed from driving over the bridge.”
The President General, Asaba Ase community, Mr Godfrey Anagbogu, lamented the financial strain on residents in ensuring that the wooden bridge remains functional. Anagbogu, corroborating the views of other residents, admitted that without communal efforts to restore the bridge, the community would have gone into extinction.
On the issue of coastal erosion that plagued the community, Anagbogu alleged that a kilometer-long embankment contract awarded to a top politician was abandoned.
He said the jetty in the community awarded during ex-Gov James Ibori administration was not properly constructed, stressing that commuters were unable to disembark from speedboats during low tide.
Pointing at the crumbling shoreline, Anagbogu said: “My grandmother had a shop where she sold palm oil and fish and yams. But the row of shops has long been submerged by the steady advancement of the River Niger.
“I fear the entire market will also be submerged if government does not act fast to construct an embankment to protect the shoreline.”
He said every household in the community paid a yearly levy of between N15,000 and N20,000 to build and maintain the wooden bridge. He added that in the last 13 years, about N234 million has been contributed to making the bridge functional.
His words: “We cannot place a finger on why we have been left to suffer like this. Since this bridge collapsed during the floods of 2012, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to get government to reconstruct it. This is most disappointing.
“I have made several trips to Asaba and Abuja to meet with relevant authorities to fix the bridge but to no avail. We are really suffering here.
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“Imagine a situation where household are compelled to pay N20,000 yearly to rebuild the bridge. The levy is compulsory and non-negotiable. My people pay with tears.
“It is most disheartening to see the elderly pay this levy. But they pay because of the strategic importance of the bridge to their economic wellbeing.
“Due to the strong water current of River Ase, we have to rebuild every year. Things are getting harder by the day for us. We appeal to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to come to our aid.
“Last year, our frustration reached a head when we confronted the PDP campaign train during the 2023 governorship campaign, refusing them entry into our community to solicit for votes.
“The PDP made a promise that if they won, the bridge would be made a priority project.
“But it is 16 months since Governor Oborevwori assumed power and we have not heard anything from them.”
Mrs Rachael Umolu, a woman leader, said at the community’s primary school, teaching is often disrupted as teachers abandon their duty post due to rising flood waters.
Mr Dennis Utiome, an electronics shop owner in the market, expressed sadness at the alleged neglect by the state government, adding that without a bridge, the social and economic survival of the people is threatened.
He said: “Last year, during the governorship campaign, we confronted the PDP campaign team. We stopped them from entering our community and they promised that if they won, the bridge would be reconstructed.
“Till this moment, we have not heard from them. They didn’t show up throughout the dry season and not even now. So, things are very bad for us.
“Other communities that have roads have taken the market from us because of the bad state of the bridge. Today is a market day but the market is scanty.”
Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi, the member representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal constituency at green chambers of the National Assembly, in a telephone interview, expressed optimism that the collapsed bridge would be fixed in no distant time.
He said he recently had fruitful discussions with Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) on finding ways to draw from the ecological fund to fix the collapsed bridge.
He was, however, uncertain when work would start on the bridge.
Despite the promise made to community leaders in the heat of 2023 governorship election, the Delta State government has said it has no funds to prosecute the Asaba Ase Bridge’s reconstruction.
The Delta State Commissioner for Highway and Urban Roads, Mr. Reuben Izeze, said the state lacked the resources to tackle the broken bridge, adding that it is not a priority project.
His words: “Delta State Government will not fund the reconstruction of Asaba Ase Bridge because there is no money available.
“The state government has picked Beneku Bridge in the same Ndokwa East LGA. It is not a matter of the people suffering or not, it is a matter of opportunity cost because we have chosen the Beneku Bridge over Asaba Ase.
“The government just does not have the funds for the bridge. Don’t they have a representative in the House of Assembly? What is he doing to draw attention to the plight of his people? It would appear he doesn’t know what he is doing there.
“If your people in high places don’t draw attention to your plight, you will not get projects attracted to your community. Besides, there are lots of uncompleted projects scattered around the state begging for attention, yet you are bringing Asaba Ase bridge problem.
“There is no money for that project.”
