By Wilson Adekumola
The Federal Government has disclosed it will re-open both the Eko and Apongbon Bridges to motorists ahead of schedule by midnight of 9 July to relieve the suffering motorists encounter.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Director, Highways, Bridges and Designs in the Federal Ministry of Works, Omotayo Awosanya, made this disclosure while leading top engineers from the federal team and Lagos State on an inspection tour of the bridges.
The team was said to have earlier had a closed door meeting with Buildwell Plants and Equipment Industries Ltd, contractors on the project at their construction yard in Costain.
NAN reported that the Federal Government had earlier set 15 July completion deadline for the bridges, stating further that the joint team inspected Apongbon Bridge both up and beneath, and Ijora-Olopa section of the Eko Bridge.
Mr Awosanya said the date review was a decision taken to relieve stress commuters have undergone for almost a year since fire gutted Apongbon section and later Ijora Olopa portion.
“At exactly midnight on Sunday, July 9, the bridges will be re-opened so that commuters will have smooth passage on Monday morning of July 10.”
While explaining that when the bridges are re-opened, there will be intermittent short closures to continue repairs, the Director added that existing contract for rehabilitation of the entire Eko Bridge had reached 50 per cent completion.
He noted that a total of 150 bearings had been replaced with additional 150 to be installed in subsequent rehabilitation works.
He said full scale rehabilitation would continue on other sections of the Eko Bridge, as the contract is meant to last three years.
“We have come here to urge the contractor to reduce five days out of the 15th of July, we are now going to open the bridge on the 9th at 12.00 midnight.
“And a minute after 12.00 a.m on the 9th, the bridge will be opened for traffic on the 10th.
“This is as a result of close collaboration between federal government and Lagos State Government because we are mindful of the stress the closure of this bridge has caused to Lagosians and we have put pressure on the contractor to open the bridge on Monday for traffic.
“This will reduce the stress presently on other bridges connecting the island and Victoria Island,” he said.
He, however, admonished that the Federal Government would evacuate all illegal squatters under all Lagos Bridges causing damage to the infrastructure.
He stressed that the joint efforts of the federal and state governments would help to achieve the eviction of the squatters under the Apongbon, Ijora bridges, as well as other bridges.
The Permanent Secretary Office of Infrastructure in Lagos State, Olufemi Daramola, who was pleased with the level of work, gave residents assurance that better motoring experience on the axis after re-opening of both bridges.
Explaining what is on ground, Daramola said, “9th of July is very realistic”, assuring that, arrangements were at high level towards protection of all bridges.
Also speaking, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olukorede Kesha, thanked the Lagos public for their patience while the repairs of both bridges lasted.
Kesha then enjoined residents to be vigilant and report illegalities and vandalism to appropriate authority, noting that, they should take ownership of all infrastructure to prevent wastage of scarce resources that go into repairs.
According to NAN, the joint team from the Federal and Lagos State governments also inspected the Ijora Olopa section of Marine Bridge scheduled for completion in September 2023.
During the inspection, Kesha assured that demolition had been completed on all the five panels destroyed by vandals, while noting that, casting of concrete was set to begin.
It was learnt that both Apongbon and Eko Bridges were gutted by fire caused by human activities in 2022.
Apongbon Bridge was affected by fire in March 2022 and efforts for its December completion were disrupted by another fire that affected the Ijora Olopa section of Eko Bridge on 4 November 2022.
The delivery date for Apongbon Bridge was extended to May 2023 because some materials for its repairs were used to start emergency repair of Ijora Olopa section.
The Federal Government later set another deadline for 15 July which was reviewed downward to 9 July.
The 4.1km Eko Bridge links the Lagos Island with Mainland. It directly links to Apongbon on the Island side.
Eko Bridge has been undergoing phased rehabilitation but contract for its comprehensive maintenance was awarded in February 2022 and expected to extend to 2026.
Meanwhile, the Ijora Olopa section of Marine Bridge damaged by vandals was shut on 17 May for safety of the public.
The deck on pile bridge caved in on 16 May leading to immediate assessment and closure.
A deck on pile is a bridge that does not have piers.
Source: NAN
