Babatunde Fashola/ Twitter
The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Raji Fashola, says the collapsed bridge on Mokwa-Jebba highway might be again in use inside 72 hours.
Fashola instructed newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State, shortly after he paid homage to the Emir of Zazzau, Shehu Idris in his palace on Sunday.
The Minister had, earlier than visiting the emir, inaugurated a new 60MVA/132/KV transformer to enhance electrical energy provide within the metropolis and its environs.
He defined that the ministry had deployed personnel from related businesses to supply measures that will ease site visitors on the collapsed bridge at Mowo Junction, alongside Makwa-Jebba highway for motorists throughout the subsequent 72 hours.
The Federal Road Safety Corps had on Sunday morning alerted motorists of the collapse of the bridge after Mowo Junction on the Mokwa-Jebba highway, as a result of heavy rainfall.
The Agency had stated the bridge, which is 18 kilometres from Mokwa city in Niger State, caved-in, following a downpour which affected vehicular motion on either side of the highway.
The NANstudies that the Mokwa-Jebba highway is a main transit route for vacationers between Abuja and Ilorin.
Fashola attributed the bridge’s collapse to “the hazards that include climate adjustments.
“All over the world we see them, mudslide, hurricane, volcano, windstorm, damaging public infrastructure. So, Nigeria isn't exempted.
“We know this can trigger some discomfort to commuters, for which we apologise for. It is an emergency and we're treating it as such. We are responding.
“A yr in the past, I believe additionally on the 10th of June, Tatabu bridge additionally collapsed as a results of rising water stage and heavy rainfall and we responded.
“We have fixed and reconstructed a new bridge, which is bigger and better. We will do the same thing in Mokwa,” the Minister stated
The minister stated the ministry had gained some expertise in coping with such conditions.
“From our contractors to our workers, we all know what to do and by the point I obtained conscious of it early this morning, all our workers have began responding.
“It could be very encouraging to me that we have now constructed a group and a system that works.
“We have given instruction to our Director answerable for North Central zone to maneuver to the place and work with the Controllers in Niger and Kwara states
“We have additionally given instruction to the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Corps Marshal is on high of that, serving to to handle the site visitors on the Federal High manner and divert site visitors, particularly heavy-duty vehicles carrying gasoline, meals objects to North and South by that highway.
“There could be discomfort with out a doubt, however we are going to handle it and make it higher daily and in a couple of days, it must be higher, the minister stated.
He stated the ministry had additionally contacted the management of NUPENG and Tanker Drivers to elucidate to their members what has occurred and what the ministry was doing.
“Within the following 72 hours, I'm positive, we are going to convey some stability and management to the place.
“The Zonal Director had our mandate to temporary headquarters each 12 hours on what's going on, in order that we will measure progress. So, there's nothing to panic about.
“This is an incident that has happened as a result of forces of nature. Rainfall destroys our infrastructure, but it is also a blessing to our farmers and fishermen,” he stated.