By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Government has said the ongoing underwater repairs and the replacement of critical components on the Eko Bridge in Lagos will cost about ₦18 billion, as part of efforts to ensure its long-term stability.
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed this during an inspection of ongoing federal road and bridge projects in Lagos State.
A statement issued on Thursday by Mr. Francis Nwaze, Senior Special Assistant on Media to Umahi, said the intervention became necessary following years of structural abuse, including illegal sand dredging, trading activities beneath the bridge and repeated collisions by heavy-duty trucks.
It said, the underwater repairs involve the replacement of bridge bearings and other critical structural components.
The minister explained that the Federal Ministry of Works has adopted engineering measures to accelerate the rehabilitation while maintaining safety and quality standards.
According to the statement, the original design using concrete beams had been modified to incorporate T-beams in order to speed up the reconstruction process.
Umahi assured that every stage of the project would be closely monitored to ensure compliance with approved engineering designs and construction specifications.
The minister expressed optimism that rehabilitation works on the bridge would be completed before the end of the year.
He further revealed that workers are constructing reinforced concrete pavement beneath the bridge and excavating sections of the corridor to increase headroom clearance for trucks.
The minister added that future bridge projects under the ministry would adopt a minimum clearance height of 6.5 metres to accommodate larger vehicles and enhance durability.
He also raised concerns over the parking of abandoned trucks on bridges and the continued illegal occupation of spaces beneath bridge structures, directing the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos to establish a task force to curb the practice.
In addition to the ₦18 billion underwater repairs, Umahi disclosed that the Federal Government is seeking funding approval for an emergency intervention estimated at ₦12 billion to address other critical defects on the bridge.
“Some of the bearings and underwater works on Eko Bridge are about ₦18 billion. It is an ongoing contract, and we needed to intervene immediately so that the bridge will not collapse” Umahi said.
Meanwhile, the minister announced that mobilisation for the construction of the new Carter Bridge would commence this month.
He commended China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) for demonstrating commitment by moving to site ahead of receiving mobilisation funds.
The statement reads,”At every stage of that construction, I must be informed to ensure that the engineering design is followed and that the method statement given to the contractor is also followed,” he added.
“Today, we saw the rebuilding process and, to save time, we decided that instead of using concrete beams, we would use T-beams,” Umahi said.
