The Federal Government has said it will take tougher steps to protect key bridges and roads from damage caused by overloaded and non-compliant vehicles.
The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, said this in a statement by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr Mohammed Ahmed, on Thursday night.
He said that recent damages to several bridges, including the Keffi Flyover, were caused by container-carrying trailers that exceeded the allowed height limits.
Umahi said: “When the height or weight of what you are transporting goes beyond the permitted clearance, it can seriously damage bridges and flyovers.
“These structures are not built to withstand that kind of pressure.”
The minister noted that most flyovers and interchanges were designed to have a clearance height of between 5.5 metres and 6.5 metres.
According to him, ignoring the standards not only breaks the law but also reduces the lifespan of the infrastructure.
Umahi disclosed that at least seven bridges on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway had suffered structural damage because of such violations.
He also gave an update on the Eko Bridge in Lagos which, he said, was 80 per cent repaired after it was damaged by fire under the last administration.
He gave the assurance that works on the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge were ongoing, and appealed to Lagos road users to be patient.
He said that all repairs were being done based on professional engineering standards to guarantee safety of all road users.
“No shortcuts will be taken,” he said.
The minister also said that the Federal Ministry of Works, in partnership with law enforcement agencies, would begin a nationwide clampdown on vehicles that would not follow height and weight regulations.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Olufunsho Adebiyi, said that protecting the nation’s bridges was everyone’s responsibility.
“These bridges are very important to our economy, but if drivers, especially those driving heavy-duty vehicles, continue to disobey the rules, they will damage the structures earlier than expected,” Adebiyi said.
He called on truck drivers, transport unions, construction companies and logistics operators to obey safety regulations and work with governments to protect the nation’s roads.
“We need everyone to cooperate and understand that preserving our roads and bridges is in the best interest of all Nigerians,” he said.
He urged all Nigerians to join in the efforts to protect national infrastructure and ensure that government investments in road and bridge projects would not be wasted.
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