The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has announced that the Independence Bridge in Lagos will be reopened to vehicular traffic by Friday afternoon, following days of maintenance work that caused widespread gridlock in the city.
Speaking to journalists during an on-site inspection on Thursday evening, Umahi said the repair work on the damaged section of the bridge had reached an advanced stage and would be completed in time for the bridge to reopen by 3pm on Friday.
“Let me announce that those that are going to work tomorrow should feel free by 3pm to pass through here,” the minister said.
“This bridge will be reopened at the latest by 3pm tomorrow to the glory of God, and so we are committed to working throughout the night to restore the bridge.”
The Independence Bridge, which links Lagos Island to Victoria Island and other parts of the city, was closed earlier this week by the Federal Ministry of Works for rehabilitation. The closure, however, caught many Lagosians off guard and resulted in hours-long traffic jams, prompting public outrage and calls for swift action.
Umahi noted that he was not initially informed of the decision to close the bridge. Following the backlash, he promptly directed that the bridge be reopened to reduce the traffic burden on commuters.
Providing updates on the ongoing repairs, Umahi said 50 percent of the work had been completed and suggested that the section under maintenance might not need to be closed again if the current fixes prove durable.
“I can see that it’s 50 percent…of what we’re going to do, but it may turn out to be permanent work,” he added.
