By LYDIA CHIGOZIE-NGWAKWE

The Federal Ministry of Works has debunked reports of alleged vandalism of piles and the underside of the Alakija Interchange Bridge on the Lagos-Badagry corridor.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a delegation from the ministry, acting on the directive of the Minister, Sen. Dave Umahi, inspected the bridge project on Saturday.

The inspection followed a viral video alleging that scavengers were vandalising the bridge infrastructure.

The delegation from the Federal Ministry of Works carried out the inspection in collaboration with officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and some other stakeholders.

Mr Balogun Abdurrahman of the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure said that what appeared to be damaged bridge columns in the viral video were actually piles undergoing an engineering process.

He said the rough surface of the piles was normal because the piles were originally designed to be below the ground level.

“The platform we are standing on is meant for jackhammering and jacketing of the pile. The pile has a rough surface because jacketing will be done on it,” he said.

Abdurrahman said the contractor handling the project was already on site and would begin the jacketing work on the piles in the coming week.

He said that the structures being mistaken for columns were piles designed to support the bridge which were expected to have rough surfaces because concrete had been poured into holes during construction.

According to him, one of the piles has already been jacketed as part of measures to further protect the structures.

Balogun said that there was no vandalism of the bridge.

He said: “As we can all see, there is nothing like vandalism here. This is an engineering work. It is an engineering process.”

The Director of Bridges and Design, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr Musa Saidu, said the delegation visited the site following information circulating on social media that scavengers were removing reinforcement from the bridge.

Saidu said that Umahi directed visiting of the site to ascertain the true situation.

“We are here based on the information we saw on social media that scavengers are trying to remove the reinforcement from this bridge.

“I want to state it clearly that the Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, directed us to take immediate action by coming here to see the bridge,” he said.

He said the inspection confirmed that there was no vandalism of the bridge.

He said the contractor had created a platform at the site to facilitate the jacketing of the piles, noting that the project was being handled by Lagos State Government.

Saidu, however, urged residents of the area to avoid using spaces underneath the bridge for habitation or other activities.

He said that such activities could damage infrastructure and cause fire incidents.

Earlier, Mrs Moremi Ojudu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagements, South-West, said that her office received complaints and videos alleging that scavengers were destroying Federal Government bridges and other infrastructure.

Ojudu said the complaints prompted the Minister of Works to direct the team to inspect the site and establish the actual situation.

She said the inspection demonstrated the government’s responsiveness to information received from communities and citizens.

“We have a very responsive government on ground that actually reviews feedbacks from communities and citizens,” she said.

Ojudu appealed to Lagos residents to stop residing under bridges, saying that bridges were not meant to serve as places of habitation.

She urged the citizens to protect public infrastructure, keep their surroundings clean and take responsibility for safeguarding government assets.

She noted that public infrastructure required collective efforts from government and citizens to protect.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olufemi Dare, was part of the delegation. (NAN)

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