The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has raised the alarm over serious damage to the underwater elements of key Lagos bridges, warning that continued tampering with substructures poses grave risks to public safety.
Umahi made this known during an inspection of the Third Mainland, Carter, Eko, and Independence bridges on Saturday.
According to a press statement issued on Sunday, the visit, aimed at assessing the structural integrity and pace of ongoing maintenance works, also served to highlight President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to transforming economic challenges into opportunities through aggressive infrastructure development.
Speaking after the inspection, Umahi commended contractors Julius Berger Plc and Buildwell Nigeria Ltd for the progress on the Third Mainland and Carter bridges, with the former nearing 50% completion and the latter at 70%.
However, he condemned persistent human interference, particularly dredging and accidents involving marine vessels—citing a recent incident where a capsized ship damaged a pile cap beneath the Eko Bridge.
“The pile caps are like the legs to human beings. What the pile cap and the pies are to the bridges are what the legs are to human beings. So imagine a vehicle hitting one of your legs.”
He revealed that a whole pile under the Eko Bridge was removed due to a collision with a dredger, leaving only steel reinforcement rods supporting the structure. He called on Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately shut down the waterways between the Carter and Eko bridges to prevent further damage.
The Minister also condemned unlawful sand dredging around Lagos bridges, stating that it compromises the skin-friction design of the piles, which rely on surrounding sand for stability. To enhance surveillance, cameras have been installed on and beneath the Third Mainland Bridge.
During the tour, Umahi also visited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project site, expressing satisfaction with work by Hitech Construction Ltd. He praised President Tinubu for pushing ahead with large-scale infrastructure despite economic constraints.
Umahi disclosed that 70% of the highway’s financing is dollar-based, sourced through loans with interest as low as 2.5%. He described the project’s vision as transformative, with plans for supermarkets, clinics, towing services, green landscaping, solar lighting, and CCTV installations along the route.
On land disputes, Umahi dismissed claims by one Mrs. Ifeoma that her $215 million investment on land at Chainage 18 was affected, calling it fictitious and noting thqt “there’s no structure there—just a gate that’s been removed for construction to proceed.”
In a related development, the Minister cleared the Federal Controller of Works, Engr. Olukorede Keisha, of any professional wrongdoing in the controversial closure of the Independence Bridge. The ministry found the decision, though procedural flawed, was made in good faith to save lives. Umahi has directed Engr. Keisha to resume duties immediately.
The Minister’s inspection underscores the urgency of maintaining Lagos’ critical infrastructure while aligning with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda to stimulate national growth through public works.
