Sanwo-Olu orders immediate reopening of Lagos pedestrian bridge

Sanwo-Olu orders immediate reopening of Lagos pedestrian bridge

The Lagos State Government announced the completion of construction works on the busy pedestrian bridge at Alapere/Estate Bus Stop on the Third Axial Road on Tuesday.

Following the confirmation of completion by the contractor engaged in the reconstruction of the ever-busy pedestrian bridge, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced its immediate reopening for public use, citing safety reasons, while deferring commissioning to a future date.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engineer Olufemi Daramola, who disclosed this on Tuesday, said that given the high premium the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu places on the safety of the lives of the people, he has directed that the bridge be opened immediately for public use.

While urging pedestrians and commuters to see the gesture of the governor as responsive and timely, he said, “In the interim, we have opened the bridge for pedestrian use considering safety implications while we await the formal handover by the Governor.”

The Special Adviser said, “This is commendable as the administration of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu is a responsive one and would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the safety of all in the State.”

“After an inspection of the completed bridge by a team comprising Lagos State Government officials from the Office of Infrastructure and the contractors was carried out on the bridge to determine its fitness for continued public use, the Special Adviser said that although the Government plans to hand over and officially commission the project, the Governor has directed the immediate reopening of the bridge to reduce the risk of crossing the expressway experienced by commuters before the reconstruction of the bridge,” a statement by the Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Mr Sina Odunuga, read partly on Tuesday.

Recall that the damage to the bridge, which was constructed eleven years ago, was caused by the impact of a container-laden truck that tried to manoeuvre under the bridge while bearing a load that was far beyond the provided headroom, thereby causing a negative impact on both vehicular traffic and pedestrian users of the bridge.

When asked for his opinion on the immediate reopening of the bridge, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said that aside from showing the high responsiveness of the governor, it is also an affirmation that “the Lagos State Government is irrevocably committed to making the state work for the citizenry,” with a commitment “to providing top-class infrastructure that will facilitate the easy movement of people, goods, and materials.”