David Umahi, the minister of works, has reopened the
Independence Bridge in Lagos.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on Friday, Umahi said
permanent work on the bridge will commence in three weeks.
The minister said the contractors worked overnight to ensure
that the bridge was ready for use.
“When we open the bridge, by the special grace of God, I
will be first to attest to the integrity of the bridge. I will be the first to
pass,” Umahi said.
“We need to be very grateful and thankful to God Almighty
for His mercies. We worked all through the night to restore this. If you asked
me how it happened, I would say it is by God’s Grace and wisdom.
“The integrity of the bridge is 100 percent. What we are
doing later is for long-term effect. But there is no problem with this repair.”
The closure of the bridge resulted in hours-long gridlock
with commuters and motorists stranded on Wednesday in the Victoria Island area
of Lagos.
On Monday, Olukorede Kesha, the federal controller of works
in Lagos, announced the closure of the bridge for essential maintenance and
rehabilitation work.
Kesha added that the bridge would remain closed until the
end of May.
Following public outcry as a result of the bridge closure,
Umahi ordered the immediate reopening of the bridge on Thursday.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos, had apologised to
residents for the gridlock experienced due to the rehabilitation of the bridge.
Sanwo-Olu advised residents to conduct their businesses via
online platforms in the next two or three weeks to avoid the traffic
congestion.
The governor said the repair was necessary for the city, as
the bridge — which is one of the oldest in the country — had begun to fail.
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