• Says pile cap not vandalised
The Federal Government, yesterday, allayed fears of motorists and residents on the safety and stability of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. The assurance followed a photo clip spreading fears about the bridge.
Picture of the third mainland Bridge pile-cap being chiselled out by vandals so they can cut and sell the reinforcement bars, surfaced in the social media on Tuesday, thereby sparking fears among residents.
But reacting to the situation on the telephone, a senior director in the Ministry of Works and Housing, told The Guardian that there is no cause for alarm. He noted that the same picture was sent to them in Abuja, but it was not done by vandals as it was part of maintenance job by the ministry.
According to the officer, who said a formal statement will be released on the issue: “Third Mainland Bridge is still undergoing routine repair works on its weak expansion joints and there is no cause of alarm.”
Recall that there was similar trepidation following a Facebook video clip showing the expansion joint on the bridge. But in a report after its technical visit to the bridge, signed by the then Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) Chairman, Apapa Branch, Sunny Ejeje, the body stressed that the expansion joints are not the structural parts of the bridge and do not have structural bearing on the stability of the bridge.
Also, a statement by Special Adviser on Communications to former Minister of Works and Housing, Hakeem Bello, on behalf of the ministry, said the expansion joint, speculated to be dangerous, was among those slated for repairs. He said the bridge is very safe for the motorists to ply pending the commencement of the repair works.
