David Umahi, minister of works, has asked the Lagos state government to close the waterway between Eko Bridge and Carter Bridge due to damage on the former by dredging activities.
Umahi made the call during an inspection tour of some bridges in Lagos on Saturday.
The minister said a dredger had hit one of the bridge’s pier caps, destroying it alongside many rods.
“We had a very terrible situation at Eko Bridge with one of the pier caps totally damaged, and again, I was only told last night,” Umahi said.
“Pier caps are to bridges what the legs are to human beings. What is holding that section are only rods. Some of the rods were damaged also.
“I immediately directed divers to be deployed. The dredger that hit the pier cap and the pier tumbled, and they sunk.”
Umahi said he considered shutting the bridge over its condition, which he described as an “emergency”.
He, however, said he directed the contractor on the necessary repairs “though very delicate, to restore it”.
He said an arrest has been made, adding that the federal government would take decisive action on the next steps.
Umahi urged Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, to enforce an immediate closure of the waterway to prevent further damage to the infrastructure.
Umahi further said he also saw dredging activities along the Third Mainland bridge despite the banning of dredging activities along a 10km radius from all bridges in Nigeria by the federal executive council.
“I am shocked that dredging is still taking place,” he said.
The minister explained that dredging near bridges undermined their structural integrity.
Umahi also appealed to the public to avoid parking and loading on bridges.(The cable)
