The Federal Authorities has mentioned it would take harder steps to guard key bridges and roads from harm brought on by overloaded and non-compliant autos.
The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, mentioned this in a press release by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr Mohammed Ahmed, on Thursday evening.
He mentioned that current damages to a number of bridges, together with the Keffi Flyover, had been brought on by container-carrying trailers that exceeded the allowed top limits.
Umahi mentioned: “When the peak or weight of what you’re transporting goes past the permitted clearance, it will possibly critically harm bridges and flyovers.
“These constructions are usually not constructed to face up to that sort of strain.”
The minister famous that almost all flyovers and interchanges had been designed to have a clearance top of between 5.5 metres and 6.5 metres.
In keeping with him, ignoring the requirements not solely breaks the regulation but additionally reduces the lifespan of the infrastructure.
Umahi disclosed that no less than seven bridges on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway had suffered structural harm due to such violations.
He additionally gave an replace on the Eko Bridge in Lagos which, he mentioned, was 80 per cent repaired after it was broken by fireplace below the final administration.
He gave the reassurance that works on the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge had been ongoing, and appealed to Lagos street customers to be affected person.
He mentioned that each one repairs had been being completed primarily based on skilled engineering requirements to ensure security of all street customers.
“No shortcuts will probably be taken,” he mentioned.
The minister additionally mentioned that the Federal Ministry of Works, in partnership with regulation enforcement businesses, would start a nationwide clampdown on autos that might not observe top and weight laws.
The Everlasting Secretary within the Ministry, Mr Olufunsho Adebiyi, mentioned that defending the nation’s bridges was everybody’s duty.
“These bridges are crucial to our economic system, but when drivers, particularly these driving heavy-duty autos, proceed to disobey the foundations, they are going to harm the constructions sooner than anticipated,” Adebiyi mentioned.
He referred to as on truck drivers, transport unions, development corporations and logistics operators to obey security laws and work with governments to guard the nation’s roads.
“We’d like everybody to cooperate and perceive that preserving our roads and bridges is in one of the best curiosity of all Nigerians,” he mentioned.
He urged all Nigerians to hitch within the efforts to guard nationwide infrastructure and be sure that authorities investments in street and bridge initiatives wouldn’t be wasted.
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