To alleviate the heavy traffic congestion in Lagos, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has instructed the prompt reopening of the Independence Bridge on Victoria Island. This decision came after the area, particularly Ikoyi, faced significant traffic gridlock. The Federal Controller of Works for Lagos, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, confirmed the directive in a phone conversation with our reporter on Wednesday evening.
Kesha explained that her team is actively working on corrective measures to make the bridge accessible to vehicles once again, as portions of the structure have been damaged. However, she was uncertain whether the bridge would be ready for use by Thursday, but reassured that her team is working overnight to ensure smooth traffic flow.
She stated, “Yes, that is true. The minister has directed me to open it. But as it is we are trying to see how we can do remedial measures so that we can open the bridge for vehicular movement because we have already broken parts of the bridge.
“We are still unsure if commuters will be able to use it tomorrow. But we are currently working overnight to do some remedial work. We are working on that. The destruction had gone a bit far, but all hands are on deck to, hopefully by tomorrow, open the bridge to traffic.”
It is worth noting that the federal government had previously announced plans to close the Independence Bridge (on the Marina side) for essential repairs and maintenance, with the closure initially set to last until May 2025.
