Minister of Works, David Umahi
By BARBARA KALU, Abakaliki –
Federal Government has clarified that no contract has been awarded for the reconstruction of the 3rd Mainland Bridge in Lagos, despite cost estimates from Julius Berger pegging the project at N6.3 trillion.
This statement was made by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during a courtesy visit by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in Abakaliki on Saturday.
Umahi addressed ongoing concerns about the 3rd Mainland Bridge, which is over 50 years old, and the Carter Bridge, noting that their structural issues have been under review since assessments conducted in 2013 and 2019.
“The defects on the 3rd Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge are not new. We’ve been engaging stakeholders and experts to address these challenges,” he explained.
The minister revealed that rehabilitating the Carter Bridge could cost N386 billion, while constructing a new one would require approximately N359 billion. For the 3rd Mainland Bridge, repairs are estimated at N3.86 trillion, compared to N3.6 trillion for a new bridge.
“These are findings we presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), not for contract awards but to highlight the issues. No contract has been awarded for either bridge,” Umahi emphasized.
He further noted that the FEC has approved a plan to invite bridge construction experts to bid and provide detailed investigations, designs, and cost estimates for comprehensive rehabilitation or new constructions.
Additionally, the government is exploring public-private partnerships to fund the projects, allowing private entities to build, toll, and recover their investments. “We believe engaging more industry experts could yield better solutions and costs,” Umahi added.
To mitigate further deterioration, the Federal Government has restricted heavy trucks from using the 3rd Mainland Bridge and plans to extend this restriction to the Carter Bridge by September. The Independence Bridge, which has undergone repairs, remains the only route open for heavy-duty vehicles traveling from Lagos Island to the Mainland.
Umahi also mentioned ongoing rehabilitation efforts on the Eko Bridge, which was previously damaged by fire.
“FEC has directed that we advertise for experts to submit bids for the rehabilitation of these bridges or propose costs for new ones. No contract has been awarded for the 3rd Mainland Bridge or Carter Bridge reconstruction,” Umahi reiterated, dispelling rumors of finalized deals.
