President Bola Tinubu’s government states that it will cost N3.8 trillion to repair the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, while constructing a new one will cost N3.6 trillion.

Works minister David Umahi stated this when information minister Mohammed Idris paid him a courtesy visit on Saturday in Abakaliki.

Mr Umahi said defects on the bridge and the Carter Bridge were not new, noting that he had been engaging stakeholders on the matter. He explained that the Third Mainland Bridge was assessed in 2013 and 2019, and that deliberations were held with experts on how to address identified issues.

The minister added that while the Carter Bridge also required rehabilitation, works on the Eko Bridge were ongoing.

“From our findings, to rehabilitate the Carter Bridge could cost us N386 billion, but to do a brand new bridge would be at about N359 billion. And for the Third Mainland Bridge, to repair it will cost us N3.86 trillion, but to construct a new Third Mainland Bridge will cost us N3.6 trillion.

“Now, that is the findings we took to the Federal Executive Council meeting. We did not take it there for the contract to be awarded; we only brought the estimated findings as done by Julius Berger Ltd. Therefore, no contract has been awarded for the reconstruction of the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge. Any information aside this is not correct.

“We believe strongly that if we expose these findings to more industry experts or players, they may come with a better solution and a better cost too. But the important thing is for FEC to note that we have a problem with the two bridges; so, nobody has awarded any contract to that regard,” Mr Umahi explained.

He disclosed that the federal government had closed the 3rd Mainland Bridge to heavy trucks and would also close the Carter Bridge to heavy trucks by Sept.

According to him, the only bridge now open for the movement of heavy-duty vehicles from Lagos Island to the mainland is the Independence Bridge, which he said had been rectified.

Mr Umahi recalled that the Eko Bridge was once completely burnt, but that rehabilitation work on it was currently ongoing.

“Now, for the way forward, FEC approved that there should be an advertisement for experts in bridge construction to bid with a quotation to do comprehensive rehabilitation of the two bridges.

“We want them to do the investigation, the design, costing, and submit, or tell us the cost of constructing new ones. Another option is that we are also opening it to a private partnership for the private sector to come and get involved, build the bridges, toll it, and recover their money.

“So nobody has awarded a contract for the reconstruction of the Third Mainland Bridge for N3.6 trillion or a contract for the Carter Bridge,” Mr Umahi reiterated.

The three major bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland are the Carter Bridge, built in 1901; the Third Mainland Bridge, whose first phase was inaugurated in 1980 by President Shehu Shagari and completed in 1990 by Ibrahim Babangida; and the Eko Bridge, also known as the Eko Atlantic Bridge, which was constructed in 2016. The third is the Eko Bridge, which was constructed in phases between 1965 and 1975.

(NAN)