The Minister of Works, David Umahi, at the weekend, stated that the contractor handling the Carter Bridge in Lagos has so far mobilised N7bn for the ongoing repairs of the facility.
The Minister spoke in Lagos while on an inspection tour of the three bridges linking Lagos Mainland with Victoria Island, including the ongoing rehabilitation works on the first section of the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
It was gathered that the project which has a total cost of N25 billion is being handled by Julius Berger.
Umahi also said that the successful completion of the rehabilitation works on phase one of the third mainland bridge was a clear indication that the Bola Tinubu administration was on course to carry out comprehensive repairs on other bridges in Lagos.
A statement by the Director of Information in the ministry, Ben Goong, quoted the minister as saying that though the aesthetics of markings and solar lights on the Oworonshoki end of the bridge were beautiful, the underwater aspects of the project remained the most “complicated and critical.”
He added that the underwater structural damage to the three bridges called for serious concern, but expressed optimism that the Tinubu administration was equal to the task and will confront the challenges head-on.
“He revealed that the contractor handling the Carter Bridge has been mobilised to the tune of N7 billion a couple of days ago, adding that rehabilitation works will commence in the coming days,” the statement stressed.
Also speaking during an interview session with journalists, the Chairman Senate Committee on Works, Senator Barinada Mpigi, and the Chairman House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, were quoted as calling on the president to declare a state of emergency on the nation’s infrastructure, given the enormity of the challenges on ground.
The chairmen said the situation calls for thinking outside the box, adding that the financial requirements needed to fix the nation’s infrastructure are well beyond the capacity of annual appropriations.
They, however, assured that the National Assembly will do everything possible within the limits of the law to help fund the projects, given their importance in the scheme of things in the nation’s commercial nerve centre.
Conducting the minister around different sections of the Third Mainland Bridge, the Carter and Eko Bridges, Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olukorede Kesha, told the Minister that the underwater damage to the three bridges was far more colossal than anyone had imagined.
Kesha also took the minister and members of his entourage to several sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, and some sections of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, among other federal projects in Lagos state.
