Umahi directs urgent repair of damaged bridge on Shagamu-Benin carriageway

By Chris Ochayi

The Minister of Works, Engr. Nweze David Umahi, has directed immediate action on the damaged section of the bridge along the Shagamu-Benin carriageway

The repair works will take a maximum period of 45 days after concrete works for vehicular movement to resume on that section of the carriageway.

To this end, the Minister has ordered the dispatch of a team of engineers to the location of the damaged bridge at the border of Edo and Ondo States.

The bridge according to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser, Media, Hon. Orji Uchenna Orji, said the bridge, which has a double carriageway, got visibly punctured at the Benin-bound of the carriageway of the bridge within one span of the five spans of the bridge.

“In line with the proactive approach to interventions by the Renewed Hope administration of the President Bola Ahmed 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, so as to allow the concrete to mature.

“It would be recalled that similar incident occurred on one of the spans in the past, and it was repaired with dispatch.

“The damage being noticed on the said bridge is age-related deterioration. Bridges are susceptible to having their structures undermined as a result of old age.

“The Shagamu-Benin bridge was built in 1981, and the bridge deck is aging. The life span of a bridge can vary significantly based on several factors, including the materials used, environmental conditions, traffic loads, and maintenance practices.

“This overtime causes issues like punctures, cracks, corrosions, or structural weakness”, he said.

Orji quoted the Minister of Works as assuring that permanent solution is underway for the Shagamu-Benin bridge and 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 apologizes to the road users for the inconveniences they have suffered or will suffer within the period of the rehabilitation work. He assures 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 traffic jam.

He states that Mr. President is intervening on over 30 bridges rehabilitation nationwide in 2025 alone, and this rehabilitation will happen urgently.

Umahi thanked the content creator who raised the alarm on the damaged section of the bridge. He notes 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 urges him and others with such mindsets to know that the Renewed Hope agenda of revolutionizing road infrastructure nationwide is on course and the mission of revitalizing and strengthening the inherited deteriorating federal road architecture is making significant progress across board.

The Minister reiterates the unwavering commitment of Mr. 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, industrialization and various other economic activities that will raise nation’s human development index.