Long Bridge not maintained for 40 years – Fashola

Minister of Power Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola

The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, says non maintenance of roads was the reason so many road networks in the country are in deplorable state.
 

Fashola, who spoke in Lagos during a tour of  metering factory  said a particular long bridge at the Lagos end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has never been maintained  for 40 years.

He said, “Contractors have been mobilised to site and I get all of the complaints. I must express my sympathy for those who, unfortunately, I think were victims of some criminal elements on the bridge. I have asked the office of the National Security Adviser to assist in deploying security personnel in the section of the Long Bridge.

“We can’t use the bridge while work is going on and expect that things will be normal. There will be some inconveniences. The ideal thing will be to shut it down. But we can’t do that also. So, people must expect that in an effort to serve them, we will inconvenience them, though not deliberately.”

The minister said some portions of the right of way had to be constrained to enable the contractor to do the work safely.

Fashola said, “If people are patient, we will finish. That bridge has not been maintained since that road was built. So, they are removing all the surface of the bridge; replacing all the expansion joints so that you have a smoother ride instead of having all those jarring noises when you drive over there.”

He added, “These things should be done every five to 10 years; we haven’t done them in like 40 years. So, that is all of the work that they are doing there. They tell me that if they keep their schedule with the rains interrupting and all of that, hopefully, by the end of December, you will have a newly laid-out road and section, and a stronger bridge in that place.

“So, people should bear with us; we are pushing as hard as we can. We understand the inconvenience but this is the cost of development. We have left too many things undone in the past and we just need to start doing them now.”