Minister of Works condemns parking of trucks, trading on bridges in Lagos State

Stanley Ihedigbo

Federal Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has expressed concern over the parking of trucks  and trading on bridges in Lagos State, citing the potential risks to the structural integrity of these critical infrastructure projects.

Speaking during his inspection of major infrastructure projects in Lagos, the Minister said that the structural integrity of key components, especially the piers and pile caps, which are foundations crucial to bridge stability.

“I call for public cooperation, to end parking and loading on bridges, which are designed for dynamic not static loads. Please media should help us to announce that there should be no trading, parking and loading of passengers on the bridges. For the sake of safeguarding Nigeria’s infrastructure and the lives of its citizens,” he advised.

He lamented that parked trucks  cause bridge fatigue, deterioration, and even collapse due to weight and prolonged stationary position.

He further advised the Lagos State government to immediately close the waterway between Eko Bridge and Carter Bridge due to safety concerns.

According to the minister, he discovered that a dredger had struck and severely damaged one of the piers supporting the Eko Bridge, leaving it in a precarious state.

Umahi explained that  the structural integrity of the bridge, has posed a significant risk to boats and ships passing through the waterway.

He urged the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and relevant authorities to enforce the closure to prevent major accidents.

In his words, “A whole pier was removed. What is holding that particular section is only the reinforcement rods, some of which have also been damaged”.

“The dredger that caused this damage tumbled and sunk. Part of it is still visible above water, and this can be dangerous for boats or ships that ply that route. What is safe is for that section of the waterway to be closed down”, he stressed.

Umahi further advised other stakeholders, including the Navy, Marine Police, and Waterways authority to enforce the closure.

Umahi added  that while he initially considered shutting down the bridge, a delicate but feasible restoration plan has been devised to avoid closure.

Umahi  further added that he discovered active dredging near the Third Mainland Bridge, despite a Federal Executive Council (FEC) ban imposed four months ago on any form of dredging within a 10-kilometer radius of all bridges in Nigeria.

“So I was very surprised to see that dredging is still taking place,” he said.

He lamented that such activities undermine the structural integrity of bridges.

“All the piles in Lagos State bridges were executed through skin friction, which means that it is the sand that is holding the piles and holding the bridge. If we continue to excavate this sand, it is dangerous.”

In his remarks, the Project Coordinator, of Buildwell Construction Company, Ghassan Kaadi, explained that about 75 percent of the rehabilitation works for Eko Bridge have been completed.

He further explained that 700 meters of expansion joints had been installed out of 1,000 meters, and 2,500 meters of concrete handrails completed out of a total of 6,000 meters.