By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of Works, David Umahi has ordered immediate deployment of engineers to the location of damaged bridge at the border of Edo and Ondo states of the Sagamu-Benin carriageway.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser on Media, Orji Orji, said the bridge, which has a double carriageway, got punctured at the Benin-bound of the carriageway within one span of the five spans of the bridge.
Umahi explained that the work which is expected to take a maximum period of 45 days after the concrete work, is in line with Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the damage being noticed on the bridge is an age-related deterioration, saying the bridges are susceptible to having their structures undermined as a result of old age. The Sagamu-Benin bridge was built in 1981, and the bridge deck is aging.
The Minister assured that permanent solution is underway for the Sagamu-Benin bridge which will be the removing of the entire deck slab of the two sets of bridges in Ondo and Edo States that are all within the same location, and rebuild the deck slab through innovative engineering technology.
Umahi apologized to the road users for the inconveniences they have suffered or will suffer within the period of the rehabilitation work.
He said the ministry will work with the Federal Road Safety personnel to maintain traffic on one carriageway of the bridge during the period of the rehabilitation to avoid motorists getting stuck in traffic jam.
According to him, Tinubu was intervening on over 30 bridges rehabilitation across the country in 2025, which the rehabilitation work is going to be urgent.
Umahi commended the president for transforming Nigeria’s transport sector and positioning it for sustainable economic prosperity.
