Lagos: The damaged Iddo Bridge in Lagos will now cost the Federal Government N17 billion, instead of N27 billion, for the rehabilitation expenses.
The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made this known to journalists during an inspection of the bridge on Friday.
He said: “Julius Berger quoted, I think, N27 billion or thereabout, but after much negotiation and discussion, we have now arrived at N17 billion.”
Umahi commended Julius Berger Nig. Plc for demonstrating a sense of cooperation under its new leadership.
He described the company as a “born-again Berger”, attributing the breakthrough in negotiation to the understanding and openness of its new managing director.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to prudent spending, insisting that all contractors must align with the ministry’s standards and directives.
Umahi noted that the project had been reviewed from merely rehabilitating the burnt section to a significant work.
He expressed concern over the poor condition of the bridge, blaming it on years of neglect and human abuse, including illegal occupation and collisions by heavy-duty trucks.
He said that three spans of the bridge were severely damaged by fire, which he attributed to the activities of illegal occupants who had built makeshift homes under the bridge.
“They brought in chemicals, built block walls and set up homes. Then, they set up a fire that burned the bridge and damaged three spans. Now we are going to fix the bridge completely,” Umahi said.
The minister stated that the Iddo Bridge, now with a headroom of approximately 4.5 metres, had suffered significant structural damage due to continuous impacts from trucks and the presence of illegal structures beneath it.
He announced that the ministry would be creating a headroom of at least 5.6 metres.
He stated that the Federal Ministry of Works was committed to restoring the bridge for the safety of all Nigerians and ensuring such incidents would not recur.
On the issue of displaced persons, the minister said that no one would be allowed to return under the bridge.
“Nobody will stay under Iddo Bridge again as long as I remain the Minister of Works.
“The lives of the people are more important,” he said, warning that the government would no longer tolerate any abuse of national infrastructure.
