By Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Federal Government has directed the immediate dispatch of a team of engineers to the location of the damaged bridge at the border of Edo and Ondo states on the Shagamu-Benin carriageway.
The bridge, which has a double carriageway, was punctured on the Benin-bound side of the carriageway within one span of the five spans of the bridge.
In a statement, in line with the proactive approach to interventions by the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Tinubu, urgent action has been initiated on the damaged section of the bridge, and it will take a maximum period of 45 days after concrete works for vehicular movement to resume on that section of the carriageway to allow the concrete to mature.
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A similar incident occurred on one of the spans in the past, and it was repaired with dispatch.
But the damage, the statement noted, being noticed on the said bridge is age-related deterioration.
Bridges, according to the statement, are susceptible to having their structures undermined as a result of old age.
Meanwhile, the Shagamu-Benin bridge was built in 1981, and the bridge deck is ageing.
“The lifespan of a bridge can vary significantly based on several factors, including the materials used, environmental conditions, traffic loads, and maintenance practices. This over time causes issues like punctures, cracks, corrosion, or structural weakness,” the statement further explained.
However, the Minister of Works has assured that a permanent solution is under way for the Shagamu-Benin bridge, which is to remove the entire deck slab of the two sets of bridges in Ondo and Edo states, which are all within the same location, and rebuild the deck slab through innovative engineering technology.
He apologised to road users for the inconveniences they have suffered or will suffer during the period of the rehabilitation work. He assured that the Federal Ministry of Works shall 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 a traffic jam. The Minister stated that the President is intervening on over 30 bridges’ rehabilitation nationwide in 2025 alone, and this rehabilitation will happen urgently.
The Minister of Works thanked the content creator who raised the alarm on the damaged section of the bridge. The Minister noted the content creator’s preconceptions over the modest efforts of the Renewed Hope administration to transform the road infrastructure and expand the transportation ecosystem to stimulate progressive national economic growth but urged him and others with such mindsets to know that the Renewed Hope Agenda of revolutionising road infrastructure nationwide is on course and the mission of revitalising and strengthening the inherited deteriorating federal road architecture is making significant progress across the board.
The Minister reiterated the unwavering commitment of the President in transforming Nigeria’s transport sector and positioning it for sustainable economic prosperity.
“His initiative to construct the Renewed Hope legacy projects in addition to the inherited ongoing road projects is a bold and broad vision to expand the nation’s road network, which is a catalyst for overall development, including healthcare, education, tourism, regional integration, industrialisation, and various other economic activities that will raise the nation’s human development index,” he said.
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