A lawmaker, representing Ovia Federal Constituency, Mr. Dennis Idahosa, has warned that, Ugbogui Bridge in Ovia Southwest Local Government Area, of Edo State, is on the verge of collapsing.
Mr. Idahosa, after inspecting the bridge, made his reports to the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), while in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Sunday.
The Edo State lawmaker told NAN that, unless urgent steps are taken to salvage the situation, the Ugbogui Bridge will collapse sooner than expected; and expressed his displeasure about how the bridge has been left unattended to by the authorities that are supposed to be in charge.
Dennis Idahosa also complained about the unending gridlock on the road as a result of the bad portions of the bridge.
Reports have it that, a section of the bridge before Okada Junction, on the Lagos-Benin Highway, has caved in, resulting in unending gridlocks.
The lawmaker, Idahosa opined:
“My worries are not about the traffic around the bridge but about the danger to which Nigerians who use the bridge are exposed.
“The Lagos-Benin Highway is about the busiest road in the country and I am sure you will understand why I worry about what might happen if this bridge is not fixed as soon as possible.
“From the portion that has completely caved in, one can clearly see the river and also notice the increase in vibration as motorists struggle to find their way through the narrow section that is good.
“It is a disaster waiting to happen; and I am calling on the relevant government authority, the Ministry of Works through the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to urgently address the problem.’’