Minister of works Dave Umahi has raised an alarm over defective bridges in the country.
He said they may collapse if the federal government fails to address their deteriorating state, having been built over 53 years ago.
Umahi spoke yesterday while inspecting projects in Lagos where he was joined by the National Assembly Joint Committee Members on Works.
He highlighted the need for urgent intervention to rehabilitate defective bridges while advocating for the declaration of state of emergency on the Third Mainland and Carter bridge axis to fast-track essential underwater repairs to prevent further deterioration of road and marine infrastructure.
He warned on the huge financial and safety risks posed by continued delay of rehabilitation and repairs, adding that delay to take quick actions would cost the federal government over N30 trillion to rebuild Carter and Third Mainland Bridges.
Umahi also recommended swift repair of national bridges along geopolitical zones which he said would cost N341 billion to avoid looming disasters.
He said to avert catastrophe, N341 billion would be needed for repair of bridges nationwide.
Umahi further pointed out that the reinforcement of chlorination, carbonisation and marine attacks on the piles of the bridge had further weakened the structural elements of the bridges even as he stressed that illegal mining activities and excavation of sands along the shorelines had also paved way for the deterioration of the piles and pier caps.
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He pointed out that the deterioration of the bridges' pillars was due to illegal sand mining, natural underwater currents, and the rusting of the steel casings.
"When you construct shorelines with steel, over the years there will be attacks from water leading to carbonization and chlorination of critical infrastructure," he added.
In his remarks, the chairman of the Joint National Assembly Committee on Works, Sen. Barinada Mpigi, applauded Umahi's efforts to engage with the Senate House Committee on Works to tackle infrastructure deficit in the country.
He highlighted the significant financial burden that would fall on the federal government for the reconstruction of the Third Mainland and Carter bridges if they do not take swift action to rehabilitate the bridge.
Mpigi acknowledged the National Assembly's readiness to back the Works Minister in declaring a state of emergency for the two bridges in Lagos.
Mpigi called for a state of emergency on the Carter and Third Mainland Bridge, adding that it was of urgent public importance.
