- As Minister Calls for State of Emergency
- By Halimah Olamide
Disaster looms over the Third Mainland Bridge and the Carter bridge in Lagos unless an urgent rehabilitation is completed.
This was just as the Minister of Works. Dave Umahi called on the National Assembly to declare a state of emergency for the repair which he said could cost about N21bn.
However, the reconstruction of the bridge could cost Nigeria up to N6 trillion if the government fails to act now.
“We have critical underwater challenges on the Third Mainland Bridge.
“The first is the deflection of the slab, which is nothing to worry about as we shall repair it as we did on Eko Bridge and it will stop deflecting.
“The second one is the deterioration of the piers, the pier caps and the pier cap covers. The contractor is already mobilised about four weeks ago and is working on it.
“Cost of rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge is estimated at N21 billion,’’ he said.
Umahi noted that illegal mining of sand, natural underwater current and the rusting of the steel casing of the bridge’s pillars were the causative factors of the deterioration.
The minister also noted that the Carter Bridge was faced with the same challenges.
“I want the National Assembly to take very special note that this is the worst of the challenges we are having on these two bridges.
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“Cost of rehabilitation of Carter Bridge is N25 billion.
“We have mobilised the contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC., with N7 billion for Carter Bridge seven days ago and N6 billion for the Third Mainland Bridge,’’ he said.
In his remarks, Chairman, Joint National Assembly Committee on Works, Sen. Barinada Mpigi, corroborated Umahi’s observations and called for the support of the National Assembly.
“I join you to call on the President to declare state of emergency on some of our critical infrastructure, especially in the road sector.
“We saw decay at the Carter Bridge and the Third Mainland Bridge.
“If any of these infrastructures gets destroyed, we don’t know to get humongous amounts of money to rebuild it.
“We at the National Assembly are prepared, but the initiative has to come from the Executive,’’ he said.
Mpigi stressed that it would be nice of President Bola Tinubu to immediately invoke his powers and ensure that most critical infrastructure built decades ago got needed attention.
He observed that provisions made in the 2024 budget would not fix some of the projects.
Also speaking during the tour, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Rep. Akin Alabi, assured of continued support of the parliament.
“I assure you that anything that the parliament can do to make your job easier, we will do it and continue to do it because it is good for all of us.
“Third Mainland Bridge is the most important bridge in Lagos and in West Africa. It is one of the longest bridges in Africa and we cannot afford to toy with it,’’ he told Umahi.