Skip to main content

Fashola Vows To Repair Damaged Mokwa-Jebba Bridge Within 72 Hours

Fashola further said the ministry had deployed personnel from relevant agencies to provide measures that would ease traffic on the broken-down bridge at Mowo Junction, along Mokwa-Jebba Road for motorists within the next 72 hours.

Image

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Raji Fashola, has said that the bridge that collapsed on Mokwa-Jebba Road will be fixed and ready for use within 72 hours.

Mr. Fashola said this on Sunday while talking to newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State, after his visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris in his palace.

Sahara Reporters had earlier reported that the Mokwa-Jebba Bridge, which is 18 kilometres from Mokwa town in Niger State, collapsed after a heavy rainfall on Sunday.

Mr. Fashola said that the bridge’s collapse was due to “the hazards that come with weather changes". 

"All over the world we see them, mudslide, horicane, vocalno, windstorm, damaging public infrastructure. So, Nigeria is not exempted," he said.

"We know this will cause some discomfort to commuters, for which we apologise. It is an emergency and we are treating it as such. We are responding. A year ago, I think also on the 10th of June, Tatabu Bridge also collapseed as a result of rising water level and heavy rainfall and we responded.”

Fashola further said the ministry had deployed personnel from relevant agencies to provide measures that would ease traffic on the broken-down bridge at Mowo Junction, along Mokwa-Jebba Road for motorists within the next 72 hours.

“We have fixed and reconstructed a new bridge, which is bigger and better. We will do the same thing in Mokwa. From our contractors to our staff, we know what to do and by the time I got aware of it early this morning, all our staff had started responding. It is very encouraging to me that we have built a team and a system that works. We have given instructions to our director in charge of North Central zone to move to the place and work with the controllers in Niger and Kwara states," he said.

“We have also given instruction to the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Corps Marshal is on top of that, helping to manage the traffic on the Federal High way and divert traffic, especially heavy-duty trucks carrying fuel, food items to North and South through that road. There would be discomfort without a doubt, but we will manage it and make it better day by day and in a couple of days, it should be better."

Topics
Travel