Minister of Works, David Umahi
Federal Government has taken a decisive step toward easing traffic pressure in Lagos, announcing that procurement is now underway for the construction of a new Carter Bridge.
Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, made the disclosure on Friday during the inauguration of the 47.474-kilometre Section One, Phase One of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway in Lagos. He said the decision followed extensive technical assessments and consultations with key stakeholders.
“After empirical evaluation and meeting with stakeholders, the answer is that we have to do a new bridge,” Umahi said.
“The procurement is coming, and people may wonder why we are surfacing it now. It is because I love Lagosians.”
According to the minister, the existing Carter Bridge is structurally connected to the Iddo Bridge, which had earlier collapsed. He noted that rehabilitation work is already ongoing on the Iddo Bridge to restore safety and functionality.
Umahi also provided updates on several major road projects across the country.
He disclosed that construction on the seventh axial road, being handled by China Harbour Engineering Company, is progressing at a cost of 266 million dollars, with funding from the China Exim Bank.
On the South-West corridor, the minister said the 184-kilometre Ife–Ibadan–Ilesha concrete road, awarded to SPECC at N443 billion, has recorded over 20 per cent completion. He added that a review of the 256-kilometre Ilesha–Akure–Benin route revealed severe deterioration, prompting government intervention.
“Who can do this work? Only the giants—Hitech Construction Company Ltd. We have co-opted them, and we have asked them to begin work,” Umahi said
“The total project is about N756 billion but it will be executed in phases.”
Addressing concerns about the Third Mainland Bridge, the minister urged Lagos residents not to panic.
He explained that heavy vehicles have been restricted from the bridge while extensive repair works are being carried out above water.
He added that procurement is also ongoing for underwater rehabilitation aimed at extending the bridge’s lifespan by another 50 years.
Umahi reaffirmed that the four legacy projects of President Bola Tinubu’s administration are designed to benefit all regions of the country and will be completed as planned.
He said the government remains open to constructive criticism.
“We are human and bound to make mistakes, but our good is over 95 per cent. The economy is returning. God is on the throne,” he said.
On security, the minister expressed optimism, noting that the Tinubu-led administration is making steady progress in addressing the nation’s challenges and that Nigeria would ultimately overcome them.
NAN
