Senate seeks immediate reconstruction of collapsed Enugu-Port Harcourt bridge
On Wednesday, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Works to immediately begin the reconstruction of the collapsed bridge at the Enugu end of the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.
The Senate’s directive was sequel to the adoption of a motion at plenary on Wednesday.
The motion, treated as an urgent matter of public importance, was sponsored by Sen.Osita Ngwu (PDP-Enugu) and co-sponsored by Sen. Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra), Sen.Kelvin Chukwu (LP-Enugu), and Sen.Okechukwu Ezea (LP-Enugu), respectively.
Mr Ngwu recalled the tragic collapse of part of the expressway flyover on September 25 and noted that there was no human casualty.
According to him, the bridge, which serves as a major link between the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway for commuters from Port Harcourt, Aba, Umuahia, and Abakaliki, also provides access to vehicular movement from the Onitsha-Enugu expressway.
He expressed his displeasure over the current road infrastructure maintenance model.
The senator said early signs of the collapse would have been detected for immediate repairs before the tragic incident.
The lawmaker said that any delay in rehabilitating the critical public infrastructure might worsen the already precarious socio-economic challenges of Enugu State and the entire South-East Zone.
Mr Ezea expressed concern that the consequent implications of the collapsed bridge might bring about a breakdown of economic activity in the axis.
In his contribution, Sen. Adeola (APC-Ogun) said there was a need to capture a project of this nature in the 2024 budget to ensure that the resolution of the Senate is effective.
Sen. Abdullahi Yahaya (PDP-Kebbi) urged Senators from Enugu State to present a comprehensive report on failed roads and collapsed bridge infrastructure to the Senate ad hoc committee on collapsed road infrastructure to be properly captured in the 2024 budget.
The Senate, therefore, urged the federal government to provide urgent intervention funds to the Ministry of Works to rehabilitate and maintain critical road infrastructure in the country before the impending dry season.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured that remedial works would be done on the collapsed bridge while major reconstruction would be included in the budget.
(NAN)
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