Nigerian govt approves reconstruction of 10 bridges in every state

The Federal Government has reconstructed more than 10 bridges in each state of the federation in the past three years.

The government has also rehabilitated over 260 emergency projects nationwide at a total cost of over N250 billion.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made the disclosure on Sunday at a stakeholder engagement and flag-off of some road projects in Lagos.

Mr Umahi said that the 260 projects had been completed.

“Let me also say that, under President Bola Tinubu, for the first time, we exposed all the ongoing projects to the ICPC to go around, check procurement, check execution, and give us queries where we have erred, and we will take corrections.

“We have also written to the EFCC to follow suit.

” It shows transparency, it shows commitment, it shows accountability, it shows who President Bola is,” he said.

On Eko Bridge in Lagos State which the government flagged off repair works on, Umahi said that the bridge was in a terrible situation.

“To close the entire section will bring a very devastating situation for our people in Lagos.

“That is why we closed that carriageway – half of it – and we are monitoring the crack on daily basis,” he said.

Mr Umahi said the crack was not increasing, adding that in the remedial work, about seven piles would be reinstalled, the crack section of the pile cap bypassed, and a new pile cap installed.

“That will last for the next 15 to 20 years, and the permanent one is being designed both with our structural engineers and some experts that we consulted outside the country.

“It is going to require taking off, jacking off the entire spans that are affected.

“Then, we place it on a batch and do demolition of the entire pile caps that are affected and install brand new pile caps and pier and then bring back the slab on it,” he said.

On the newly-inagurated 40 guards for protecting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi said that the guards were for a serious job.

He emphasised that the guards’ duties included eliminating hawking, loitering, commercial motorcycling and refuse dumping from the highway.

Umahi called on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to protect highways against illegal parking and other forms of abuse.

“Their primary responsibility is to maintain strategic infrastructure.

“They have to see that parking on our highways, on our roads should be stopped.

” They need to see that their primary responsibility of maintaining our strategic infrastructure is implemented; so, we have to involve them here,” he said.

NAN