Umahi Directs Urgent Repairs Of Damaged Deck Of Shagamu-benin Carriageway
By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has directed immediate dispatch of a team of engineers to the location of the damaged bridge at the border of Edo and Ondo States of the Shagamu-Benin carriageway.
Spokesperson to the Minister, Barr. Uchenna Orji disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
Orji explained that the bridge, which had 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.
He said urgent action had been initiated on the damaged section of the bridge and it would 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.
“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”, the statement said.
The Minister assured that permanent solution was underway for the Shagamu-Benin bridge and which was 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 apologized to the road users for the inconveniences they had suffered or will suffer within the period of the rehabilitation work. He assured 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 revealed that the President was intervening on over 30 bridges rehabilitation nationwide in 2025 alone, and the rehabilitation would happen urgently.
The Minister of Works thanked the content creator who raised the alarm on the damaged section of the bridge and reiterated the unwavering commitment of President Tinubu in transforming Nigeria’s transport sector and positioning it for sustainable economic prosperity.
