The National Assembly has called upon President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency concerning the nation's infrastructure. Senators Barinada Mpigi and Akin Alabi, Chairs of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Works, respectively, stressed the urgent need for this declaration in light of the significant challenges faced by the country's infrastructure. They highlighted that the financial demands to address these issues far exceed what can be accommodated in annual budgets.
During an inspection tour of the Third Mainland, Eko, and Carter bridges in Lagos, the lawmakers, part of Minister of Works David Umahi's entourage, pledged the National Assembly's commitment to support funding for these projects. They acknowledged the critical role these bridges play in Lagos, the nation's commercial hub, and assured that legislative efforts would be made within legal boundaries to secure funding.
Minister Umahi, after inspecting the ongoing rehabilitation of the 3rd Mainland Bridge, announced the forthcoming rehabilitation of the Carter Bridge, which recently received N7 billion in funding. He lauded the progress on the 3rd Mainland Bridge as evidence of the Tinubu administration's dedication to infrastructure renewal, including plans for Eko and Carter bridges, aligning with the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda.
Umahi commended the aesthetics of the bridge's markings and solar lights at the Oworonshoki end but emphasized the complexity and criticality of the underwater aspects of the project. Despite these challenges, he expressed confidence in the Tinubu administration's ability to address them effectively. The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, O.I. Kesha, highlighted the extensive underwater damage to the bridges, far surpassing initial estimates, during the tour, which also covered other federal projects in Lagos State, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
