The Lagos State Government has announced the closure of the Ijora-Olopa Bridge for repairs, after revealing that certain elements have led to the failure of the bridge.
In a statement by the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, which was given through Hakeem Bello, his Special Adviser on Communications, the government said, “The Federal Government on Wednesday directed the immediate closure of the Ijora-Olopa Bridge following the discovery that some miscreants have tampered with the major reinforcement elements of the deck from underneath which led to the failure of a section of the Bridge along Ijora Olopa Road, beside Water Corporation, Ijora.” Bello also said that the minister, Fashola “has on several occasions asked illegal squatters occupying Lagos under-bridges to quit as fire incidents and other illegal activities underneath such bridges often result in extensive damage of the vital infrastructure constructed with the nation’s scarce resources.”
The state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Fredric Oladeinde, also made this announcement, although no specific timeline for the repairs was given. He did emphasize that the diversion from the Ijora-Olopa axis were for very necessary repairs, which the federal government was to carry out with the state government.
In order to reduce inconveniences, the commissioner listed the following routes, which include: Motorists from the Eko Bridge to use Iganmu/Sifax to enter Ijora Oloye or Apapa. Iddo-bound drivers who are going to Ijora-Oloye or Apapa will be diverted at the intersection underpass in a counterflow and will re-connect at the U-turn leading into Ijora-Oloye or Apapa.
Therefore, the ministry urged drivers who use the corridor to comply with LASTMA, the state’s traffic management authority, and the measures taken to manage the flow of traffic.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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