Senate Summons Fashola Over Recurring Bridge Collapse

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has been summoned by the Senate over recurring cases of collapsed bridges in many parts of the country.

 

This followed the adoption of a motion on “Recurring collapse of Bailey bridges nationwide” sponsored by Senator Gilbert Nnaji (Enugu East). The upper chamber specifically wanted Fashola to brief its Committee on Works on plans for reconstruction of all Bailey bridges In the country. The Senate thus mandated its Committee on Works to undertake an inventory of all Bailey bridges nationwide with particular attention to their years of construction and current status.

 

It also instructed the Federal Roads Maintenance Authority (FERMA) to urgently reconstruct the collapsed Bailey bridges across Ebonyi River at Ikem in Isi-Uzo local government area of Enugu State as well as other collapsed Bailey bridges across the country.

 

Nnaji in his lead debate noted that he is aware that Bailey bridges, developed and used during the Second World War, were built in Nigeria during the pre-independent era up to few years after the Nigerian civil war, to provide temporary crossing for foot and vehicle.

 

Nnaji decried the state of our bridges neglected for many years begging for change. He called on the government to save the people who will die should another collapse happen by building new bridges across the country.