The Federal Government has voiced worry over considerable damage caused to the almost-completed Lotto Bridge Interchange on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.
During a site inspection on Monday, Mrs. Olukorede Kesha, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, voiced concerns.
According to Kesha, a low-bed articulated vehicle carrying an excavator struck the bridge structure, causing the damage.
She voiced concern about the degree of the damage, stating that the event happened early on Thursday morning when the bridge beams were damaged by the excavator’s boom that was not properly fastened.
According to our observations, the boom of the excavator was too high to pass beneath the bridge since it had not been correctly lowered from the port, she said.
Five beams on the bridge were damaged in the accident, two of which were seriously compromised and needed to be replaced, according to Kesha.
According to her, the damage would have a negative impact on the economy, drivers, and traffic on the roads.
We will need to close this portion of the road and reroute traffic to the opposite side in order to complete the repairs, Kesha stated.
“The importance of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is obvious to everyone who knows it. This place has unique traffic.
In addition to the inconveniences, she said, the bridge’s repairs would have a financial impact.
The nation will bear a heavy financial burden as a result of the significant devastation.
“This will serve as a lesson; people need to realize that their negligence affects millions of Nigerians.”
She said, “We will not tolerate this type of carelessness.”
Although no timetable for the repairs has been established, she stated that a thorough evaluation of the damage had been going on since Friday and that work will start as soon as the report was turned in and accepted.
“A thorough report that covers the extent of the work, the financial ramifications, and a thorough repair plan is being prepared.
“The contractor will get to work as soon as we receive the all-clear,” she continued.
Kesha also highlighted the broader damage caused by heavy-duty vehicles on Nigerian roads.
She urged vehicle owners and logistics companies to take precautions and ensure their trucks were roadworthy and within height limits.
She said that weighbridges, designed to check overloading, would soon be operational at the Old Toll Gate on the expressway.
“It is not just about good roads. When drivers overspeed or carry loads far beyond safe, these roads become hazards. What happened here is a clear case of negligence.
“The minimum clearance height is five metres; we even exceeded that to 5.6 to six metres because we know the kind of drivers we deal with.
“The Lotto Bridge was almost completed, with only the connecting ramps left to be finished by the contractor, who took over from Julius Berger.
”Unfortunately, the recent damage is expected to delay the project by several months,” she regretted.
Kesha confirmed that the police had arrested the driver responsible for the incident.
She said that the bridge, which was designed to ease traffic for commuters heading to Ikorodu, Sagamu, and Mowe, would remain closed until all necessary repairs were completed.
“The Lotto Bridge is not in use yet. We were preparing to open it soon, but that is now on hold.
“We will not take any risks. We owe Nigerians safe infrastructure, and we will do everything it takes to fix the damage and ensure safety before opening it,” Kesha said.
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining public infrastructure and ensuring the safety of lives and property.
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