There’ll be an alternative in 72 hours, says Fashola on collapse of Mokwa-Jebba bridge

Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works and housing, says the collapsed bridge on Mokwa-Jebba road will be repaired with an alternative provided in 72 hours.

Fashola made the promise in Zaria, Kaduna state, after he paid homage to the Shehu Idris, emir of Zazzau, at his palace.

Before visiting the emir, the minister inaugurated a new 60MVA/132/KV transformer to improve electricity supply in the city and its environs.

He explained that the ministry had deployed personnel from relevant agencies to provide measures that would ease traffic on the collapsed bridge at Mowo junction, along Makwa-Jebba road for motorists within the next 72 hours.

“The bridge collapse is part of the hazards that come with whether changes. All over the world we see them, mudslide, hurricane, volcano, windstorm, damaging public infrastructure,” he said.

“So, Nigeria is not exempted. We know this will cause some discomfort to commuters, for which we apologise. It is an emergency and we are treating it as such. We are responding.

“A year ago, I think also on the 10th of June, Tatabu bridge also collapsed as a result of rising water level and heavy rainfall and we responded.

“We have fixed and reconstructed a new bridge, which is bigger and better that the box cover that was there. We will do the same thing for what has happened in Mokwa.

“We have given instruction to our director in charge of north-central zone to move to the place and work with the controllers in Niger and Kwara state. We have also given instruction to the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Corps Marshal is on top of that, helping to manage the traffic on the Federal High way and divert traffic, especially heavy duty trucks carrying fuel, food items to north and south through that road.

“There would be discomfort without a doubt, but we will manage it and make it better day by day and in a couple of days, it should be better. We have also contacted the leadership of NUPENG and tanker drivers to explain to their members of what has happened and what we are doing, so that they will bear with us during this period discomfort.

“Within the next 72 hours, I am sure, we will bring some stability and control to the place. The zonal director had our mandate to headquarters every 12 hours what is going on, so that we can measure progress. So, there is 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.”