A disagreement has emerged in Anambra State over how public infrastructure projects should be recognised, following a directive by the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, concerning the First Niger Bridge in Onitsha.
Umahi issued the directive on Wednesday during an inspection visit to the bridge, where he assessed ongoing maintenance work on the 1.404-kilometre structure. The minister said displaying President Bola Tinubu’s photographs on the bridge would serve as an acknowledgement of the Federal Government’s intervention in restoring the facility.
The proposal has generated different reactions from political actors and stakeholders in the state. The Anambra State chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, supported the directive, describing it as consistent with practices seen at many federal government establishments.
Obi-Okoye said federal facilities across the country often display images of the President, adding that recognising the administration’s role in maintaining national infrastructure should not necessarily be viewed through a political lens.
However, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, expressed a different position, questioning whether placing photographs on the bridge should be the priority after the rehabilitation work. He said attention should remain on delivering projects and services that directly affect citizens.
Other political figures, including leaders of the African Democratic Congress and the Nigeria Democratic Congress in the state, also criticised the directive. They argued that infrastructure repairs are part of government responsibilities and should be funded through public resources rather than presented as a personal contribution by any individual leader.
A legal practitioner, Mr Chijioke Ndubuisi, also raised concerns over the appearance of the bridge, arguing that placing political photographs on the structure could affect its public image. Meanwhile, attempts to get a reaction from the Anambra State chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Emma Anosike, were unsuccessful as calls and messages sent to him were not answered at the time of filing this report.
