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  • 2023: Fashola begs APC leaders to respect agreement on zoning; boasts PDP can’t unseat party

    2023: Fashola begs APC leaders to respect agreement on zoning; boasts PDP can’t unseat party

    Ahead the 2023 general elections, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, has strongly advised the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to respect and honour agreement reached at the formative stage of the party.

    He also said that the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lacks the strength of taking over from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) come 2023.

    Fashola who while chatting with newsmen covering the ruling party (APC Press Corps) in Abuja on Tuesday admitted there was an agreement on zoning which he said should be honoured.

    When asked on the zoning arrangement, the former Lagos State governor said, “the truth is that what makes an agreement spectacular is the honour in which it is made not whether it is written. If it was written there would be no Court cases of breach of contract because it’s document that is written and signed that go to court. But the private agreement you make with your brother and sister should not be breached, it must be honoured.”

    Though he argued that zoning may not feature in the party’s constitution but noted that party leaders at the formative stage entered into agreement which must be honoured.

    According to the Minister, “All political parties are clubs where you write agreements just like a social club and we can decide that it is the youngest person who will be the Chairman of the Club or we can decide that it is the oldest person or the next female or the next male, that is the matter of agreement between people.”

    On whether the ruling party can still retain its governing status come 2023, Fashola vehemently dismissed the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as no match to APC, arguing that they will have to think better to unseat the ruling party come 2023.

    “Our opposition (PDP) has to think better than us in order to defeat us, right now they are not doing that. When it’s election time they should come and meet us.

    “Some governors have joined us, from where we think we could not get voters before. To retain power in 2023, certainly if we keep our promises, people will vote for us. It is that simple, that is politics. If you do what you said you will do even if you don’t do 100 percent and they see that you are making progress, they will even want you to finish somewhat you started.”

    He also called for support for the Governor Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Committee (CECPC) noting that the Committee was a product of necessity following the leadership crisis that engulfed the party.

    “It was a crisis that led us to have a caretaker committee, we must respect the caretaker committee, let it do its job. Those of us who didn’t contest party positions, let’s focus on our jobs too and stop getting in each other’s way.

    “Let’s be ready to support one another, every support that the caretaker committee requires, we will provide if it is within our means to do so. At the end of the day, we are governed by rules.”

  • FG owing 3,504 contractors N69.9bn for housing projects- Fashola

    FG owing 3,504 contractors N69.9bn for housing projects- Fashola

    The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, says the ministry is owing 3,504 contractors handling its various housing projects about N69.9 billion.

    He stated this when he appeared before the Joint National Assembly Committee on Housing on Thursday in Abuja, to defend his ministry’s 2021 budget estimates.

    Although N76.4 billion was allocated to the ministry in the 2021 budget, Fashola warned that the figure was grossly inadequate to execute 186 projects across the country.

    He listed some of the priority areas in the 2021 budget to include the completion of the construction of the remaining 2,140 housing units under the National Housing Programme in 34 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Other priority areas identified by the minister were the completion of the construction of ongoing federal secretariats in Anambra, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Nasarawa, Osun, and Zamfara States.

    According to Fashola, is important to take the maintenance and operation of public buildings seriously.

    He also advocated that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) should provide a sum representing two to 10 per cent of their annual capital budget as maintenance provision.

    The minister explained that maintenance and operation have the potential to employ as much as 10 per cent of the country’s working population and contribute up to eight per cent to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as observed in the United Kingdom and in varying ratios in some other countries.

  • BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu presents 2021 Budget, to abolish pension for Tinubu, Fashola, Ambode, others

    BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu presents 2021 Budget, to abolish pension for Tinubu, Fashola, Ambode, others

    The Lagos State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday presented the presented budget estimates of N1.155 trillion to the State House of Assembly for approval for the 2021 fiscal year.

    The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, in a statement on Monday, said, “The budget session is expected to focus on advancing the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda of the state government.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the governor while presenting the budget said he will soon present an executive bill to the State House of Assembly abolishing payment of pensions and other entitlements to former governors and their deputies.

    The abolition of pension will affect former governors Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode, and their deputies.

    The governor said the move was in the light of keeping he costs of governance low and to signal selflessness in public service.

    He added the his government would be sending a draft executive bill to the House imminently for the repeal of the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension Law 2007), which provides for payment of pension and other entitlements
    to former Governors and their Deputies.

    READ ALSO Abule Ado Explosion: Falz mocks Sanwo-Olu

    Sanwo-Olu said it was his administration’s firm belief that with dwindling revenues and the appurtenant inflationary growth rates, that there was need to come up with innovative ways of keeping the costs of governance at a minimum while engendering a spirit of selflessness in public service.

    “Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members of the House, in light of keeping the costs of governance low and to signal selflessness in public service, we will be sending a draft executive bill to the House imminently for
    the repeal of the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension Law 2007), which provides for payment of pension and other entitlements to former Governors and their Deputies.

    “It is our firm belief that with dwindling revenues and the appurtenant inflationary growth rates, that we need to come up with innovative ways of keeping the costs of governance at a minimum while engendering a spirit of selflessness in public service.”

    Meanwhile the 2021 budget estimates is higher than the 2020 budget after it was reduced to N920.5 billion due to challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.

    The budget represents N234.5 billion higher than the 2020 budget after it was reduced. But it is lesser than the initial 2020 budget of N1.68 trillion by N53.5 billion.

    According to Sanwo-Olu, the 2021 budget has a total revenue of N962.528 billion and a total Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of N795,744 billion.

    The governor said the budget has a Capital Expenditure of 703.272 billion and a Recurrent Expenditure of N451.750 billion.

    He said the 2021 budget would focus on youth employment, security, youth engagement and social work, among others.

    On youth empowerment, Sanwo-Olu said it has become expedient to leverage the state’s developmental efforts by focusing on sectors with job creating potential like Agriculture, Construction, Technology and Security.

    “We are set to improve the economic conditions and social safety needed for our youth and all hardworking Lagosians to flourish. We are committing resources to sectors that need to grow for our people to become self-reliant and economically empowered.

    “Consequently, for the agricultural sector, our food security plan has a cumulative budget of N22.21 billion while we are committing a cumulative budgetary provision of N311.43 billion to infrastructure: this will cover direct intervention through the Ministries of Works and Infrastructure, Water front, Transportation, the Judiciary, our Schools and Seed Capital of N15 billion for The Rebuild Lagos Trust Fund.

    “This does not include the value to be created from executing the rail lines (both Red and Blue) recently approved by the Lagos State House of Assembly. To continue to drive our digitisation strategy, we have committed a total of N37.37 billion investment in technology, while in the environment and health services we have committed a total of N48.28 billion and N111.94 billion respectively.

    “In line with our urgent need to light up Lagos we will begin a set of initiatives in the energy sector to ensure the Lagos economy is supported by power one community at a time. To this we have committed a total of N32.58billion in the 2021 budget,” he said.

    According to Sanwo-Olu, the 2021 Appropriation Bill ‘also speaks to the restoration of economic balance as we navigate our way out of the negative impact of both the pandemic and the destruction of public assets following the ENDSARS protest hijack. A pivotal crux of the 2021 budget will be the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture among our people.

    “In light of this, micro, small and medium enterprises will be strengthened because their activities help to facilitate socio-economic advancement. We have done a lot to support the entrepreneurs in Lagos state through the LSETF and we will do more by providing technical and financial support so that they can in turn generate employment that will stimulate equitable economic prosperity.

    “We understand that we must consolidate our gains in the technology sector for accelerated economic growth and job creation. In order to achieve this, we will collaborate with major players in that space like Oracle, Microsoft and Google to prepare our youths for the IT job market. As we focus on job and wealth creation, we will also prioritize the security of lives and property as well as local intelligence gathering in our communities by increasing significantly the number of our Neighbourhood Watch Officers over the next two years.

    “All these will be achieved through our human development MDAs comprising the Ministries of Education, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Wealth Creation, (including LSETF) and SDGI. Consequently, the cumulative budgetary provision towards Human capital development effort from these MDAs total’s N148.57billion.”

    On security, the governor said his government is working on reviving the growth of our economy and must commit resources to statewide security architecture, especially in the areas of intelligence gathering and the motivation of all security personnel in the Neighbourhood Watch.

    “We will not just increase the size of the Neighbourhood Watch personnel across the state, we will henceforth ensure their training includes community engagement, de-escalation techniques, and proactive information gathering within communities. We believe that as the population of Lagos State increases and becomes more sophisticated, so should the training of our security personnel; to cope with extant challenges.”

    On youth engagement and social works, Sanwo-Olu said the possibilities for economic and social growth abounded in the state, saying that, “we must be emphatic about engaging our youth. As a father, politician, and governor, I am saddened by the increasing rise of substance abuse among our youth, particularly the boys. Our developmental vision would be incomplete without a vibrant, capable, and healthy youth population to take the baton of leadership when we leave the scene.

    “This government has, therefore, made it its prerogative to increase its financial commitment to youth mentoring, mental health support, and substance abuse rehabilitation. Very soon, we will unveil our comprehensive action plan to address this issue. The initiative is being driven by the Neighbourhood Watch, The Ministry of Youth and Social Development and the Office of Civic Engagement.

    “Our approach will entail a robust communication strategy that will highlight government’s projects and initiatives in a format that is easy to digest by our youths: our intention is cultivate their trust and get them to embrace participatory governance. We must do all we can to deter them from cybercrime and other vices. Consequently, there is a proposed allocation of N9.16 billion in the 2021 Budget,” he said.

     

  • Wike yet to receive FG’s N78bn projects refund – Fashola

    Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on Saturday said Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has not yet received the N78 billion it spent on federal roads in the state from the Federal Government.

    Fashola, who spoke at the commissioning of Rebisi Flyover in Rivers also clarified that the rumour that former Governor and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi worked against the refund of monies due Rivers State for federal roads executed by the State Government was not true.

    He said that Amaechi on the contrary, championed the fight for the refund due to the state.

    “The Federal Government has paid over N725 billion to the 36 states of the federation as part of refund to the state government’s expenditures on federal roads in the states,” Fashola disclosed.

    He disclosed that the approval for the refund was made in two tranches of N577 billion and N148 billion, saying that the refund was approved across all states and across party lines, saying that in the last tranche of N148 billion, Rivers State got a lion’s share of N78 billion.

    He said; “It (the refund) was the initiative of the Presidet Mohammadu Buhari that it was only fair and just to refund to states monies they have spent on Federal roads and it was done across party lines without discrimination.

    “Let me also say now that Governor Wike has come out into the open about this, you may have had some stories that Rotimi Amaechi, my colleague in the Federal Executive Council was somehow not happy. Nothing can be farther than the truth, the champion for the refund among the ministers was Rotimi Amaechi himself.

    “Let me say as I have said in all the 36 states of the federation that I have visited as a minister, the Federal Government is not in competition with any state, our responsibility and our mandate for Mr President is to support the developmental initiatives and aspirations of every state.

    “Our elections happen only once in every four years, but our developmental challenges happen every day, so we have no choice who to serve, we serve the people of Nigeria,” he said.

    On the allegation that there has not been any federal projects in Rivers, Fashola said the Bodo-Bonny road with works ongoing on milestone N120 Billion Bodo-Bonny Road and the Port Harcourt Aba Expressway, which has been jinxed for over 30 years, were being done by the federal government.

    He commended Wike’s administration for completing the project four months ahead of schedule and lauded the administration’s “radical urban renewal.”

    Shortly before cutting the tapes to declare the Rebisi Flyover open, Fashola said, “Having gone round to see some of the projects Wike is delivering, what I have witnessed is massive urban regeneration and renewal in Rivers.”

    Wike in his remarks on the occasion urged the minister to appeal to President Buhari to approve even more refunds to Rivers based on continued massive upgrades of federal roads in the state, including the Rebisi Flyover, four others nearing completion.

    Wike expressed gratitude to God for the grace to complete the project four months before the scheduled delivery date.

    He also commended Julius Berger for not abandoning site in the heat of the Covid-19 pandemic but stayed on site to ensure timely delivery of the job.

    He said that the other three, the Rumuogba, Okoronodu and GRA flyovers would be completed in December, 2020, January and March, 2021, respectively.

    Wike said; “it is on record, it has never happened where a state government can carry out four flyovers at the same time, we are not working with contractors of low repute, this is a company the whole world knows, that Julius Begger to deal with them, you must have their money available.

    “I am so happy today that I made a promise to my people and I have fulfilled that promise. We are going to start the sixth flyover at this Kaduna junction, Julius Berger is carrying out the soil tests.

    “Those who are criticizing that we are doing all these things in Port Harcourt, I have no apologies to anyone, if I had more money I would do more flyovers”, he stated.

  • Days after shootings, Fashola discovers hidden camera at Lekki toll gate

    Days after shootings, Fashola discovers hidden camera at Lekki toll gate

    Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday, found a camera at the scene of the shooting in the Lekki area of Lagos state.

    Fashola found the device while on tour of the place where #EndSARS protesters demonstrated for 13 days before they were forcefully dispersed.

    On Tuesday, men in army uniform invaded the Lekki toll gate where the unarmed protesters were and opened fire on them.

    There has been controversy over the number of those killed and the number of persons who sustained injuries.

    On Sunday, ministers and governors from the south-west, made an on-the-spot assessment of some of the places vandalised during the violence that trailed the #EndSARS protest.

    It was during the visit that Fashola found the camera which he said must have been planted by “some subversive elements”.

    The minister reportedly picked up the device with a handkerchief and handed it over to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos.

    “I think this will help with the ongoing investigations into the shootings at the Lekki Toll Gate. It requires forensic analysis and could be used in the investigations to unravel the mystery surrounding the shootings at the Toll Gate, I believe,” he was quoted to have said.

  • Repairs: Fashola orders re-opening of Eko, Marine Bridges Monday

    Repairs: Fashola orders re-opening of Eko, Marine Bridges Monday

    After concluding urgent repair works on Eko and Marine Bridges in Lagos, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has directed that both bridges be reopened to traffic on Monday.

    The approval for the reopening of the completed First Phase of the repairs on the Bridges by midnight on Sunday 18th of October, which was given by the Minister on Friday was sequel to the report by the contractor handling the projects, Messrs. Buildwell Plant & Equipment Industries Limited that the repair works on the First Phase had been completed 100 percent.

    In his directives for the reopening of the bridges, Fashola thanked Lagosians for their patience, understanding and cooperation while sections of the bridges were closed.

    He also directed that members of the public should be informed of any restrictions to traffic while work was ongoing on the Second Phase of the project.

    The Minister added that while the completed section of the Eko Bridge (Lagos Island bound) should be reopened to traffic, work should commence immediately on the Alaka bound side of the project.

    Explaining further on the next phase of repair works on the bridges, the Director, Highways (Bridges & Designs) in the Ministry, Engr. Emmanuel Adeoye, said work was taking off without the need for either partial or complete closure of the bridges, adding, however, that the public would be informed adequately should such a step become necessary.

    The 1,350 metre Eko Bridge, built in phases between 1965 and 1975, links the Lagos Island to the Mainland. It was closed to traffic in March this year in order to replace faulty joints and bearings. But, as a result of COVID-19 lockdown, actual repair works commenced in the first week of June.

    Work commenced in May on the first of the three phases in which repair works on the Marine Bridge was divided.

    The repairs on the bridge, which is part of a network of complex bridges with several loops taking traffic in and out of the Apapa area of Lagos, included jacketing and skin repairs of the piers, lifting the bridge section deck in order to change the electrometric bearing, milling and placing a new wearing course of asphalt among others.

    The repair works on the Eko and Marine Bridges is part of the ongoing Federal Government’s bridge maintenance programme which involves the repairs and rehabilitation of over 37 bridges nationwide with a substantial number already completed while others are at different stages of completion.

  • Police file criminal charges against ex-Imo gov for using Fashola’s name for fraud

    Police file criminal charges against ex-Imo gov for using Fashola’s name for fraud

    The Office of the Inspector-General of Police has filed criminal charges against former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim for using the name of Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.

    The Nigeria Police Force filed the criminal charge against the former governor, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    According to the office of the Inspector-General of Police in a charge number CR/993/2020, dated September 23, 2020, it accused Ohakim of fraud and false information.

    In addition, the Police alleged that Ohakim claimed in his statement to the police that he gave Lady Chinyere Lilian Amuchienwa N100 million for his governorship election in 2019, which he could not prove in the statement.

    The three-count charge against Ohakim was signed by one Stanley Nwodo.

    It stated thus: “That you Ikedi Ohakim on or about the 23rd day of May 2019 at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did unlawfully give false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa that she threatened you with gun knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

    ”That you Ikedi Ohakim on or about the 23rd day of May 2019, at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did unlawfully give false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that you have a plot of land for sale at Lagos State, knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

    “That you Ikedi Ohakim on or about the 23rd day of May 2019 at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did unlawfully use derogatory the name of Raji Fashola as the owner of the purported land situated at Ikeja, Lagos State and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.”

  • Why Nigerians are disappointed in Buhari-led Federal Government – Fashola

    Why Nigerians are disappointed in Buhari-led Federal Government – Fashola

    The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Thursday explained why Nigerians seem dissapointed in the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government.

    The formal Lagos governor said Nigerians are disappointed in the present administration because they are misplacing the functions of government at different levels.

    While he said some expected “magic results”, the minister argued that many Nigerians don’t know the differences between the projects expected to be executed by the federal, states, and local governments.

    He said this while responding to a question on his performances as a minister and governor in an interview on “The PlatformNG60” organised by Covenant Christian Centre in Lagos, anchored by Pastor Poju Oyemade and aired live on Channels Television.

    Fashola explained that basic infrastructure like primary healthcare, primary education, among others being agitated for by many Nigerians are to be delivered by state and local governments and not the federal government.

    The minister said, “The government that can transform and give us what we want quickly are the government closest to us – state and local government.

    “Looking for the Federal Government or a magic President is why we seem to have been disappointed. We are looking for the results in the wrong place.

    “Governance is not magic. It is the act of the possible and our responsibility is to always project hope.

    “Perhaps those who feel that way (disappointed) should be made to realise that what we expect of the Nigerian Federal government lies more with the state government and the local government – some of the most basic things.

    “What we should do is to focus on the government that is closest to us. I will urge people to go and read the constitution, the powers the President has are about 45, many of them are categorised as power but they are even functions and duties.”

  • I received, turned down 17 honourary degree offers as Lagos governor – Fashola

    I received, turned down 17 honourary degree offers as Lagos governor – Fashola

    Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has revealed how he turned down 17 honorary degrees from Nigerian universities.

    Fashola said the various institutions came to offer him honorary degrees when he was governor of Lagos State for eight years.

    Fashola, who spoke when the Committee of Vice Chancellors/Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVC/AVCNU), paid him a courtesy visit, also stressed the importance of universities as a place where the characters of young people were finally shaped in readiness for leadership.

    He lamented the proliferation and abuse of Honorary Degrees by universities in the country recalling that in his eight-year tenure as Governor of Lagos State and Visitor at LASU one of the things his administration did was to put on hold the award of any Honorary Degree for about two to three years.

    “We said, look we are going to be different and for two or three years we did not award any Honorary Degree because truly the idea of Honorary Degree is an important building block of society and once we throw those blocks away or make them unviable then the purpose for it is lost”, the Minister said.

    He recalled. “In my eight years in office I had 17 offers and I didn’t take one. I told them to wait until when I was out of office and if they still find me worthy they should then come. And when I was out of office only one came back.

    “The point I want to make is that we have to encourage our children to work hard. What have these honorees of the universities done to deserve the honour? What of those who have become undeserving, will you go back and tell them to return the degrees, that they don’t deserve it anymore?”

    Noting that there was need to have an acceptable version of the History of Nigeria, Fashola charged the Committee to assemble the many professors of History in the universities and assign the task to them to produce such a version that would be a true History of Nigeria, acceptable by all Nigerians, including the Historians themselves.

    Stressing the importance of universities as platforms for character molding, among other functions, the Minister, who described investment in universities as “casting a stone of faith into the future”, said it was an investment that always yielded very enormous profit for any nation.

    “It is a place where young boys and girls transit to becoming young men and women and that is where their characters are finally shaped in readiness to take over the leadership of the country”, he said, adding that as overseers of the institutions, the Vice Chancellors have daunting tasks to accomplish.

    Assuring the University dons of government support to ensure success, Fashola declared, “Somebody like me, I am a product of an investment of those who set up the University of Benin. Also there are many Nigerians who, like me, are products of that act of faith that happened in the 1970s.”

    “I sit here today, and there are Senators, Senate Presidents and so many other professionals who were also products of that investment. And what is true of the University of Benin is also true of all other universities across the country”, he said.

    The Minister also charged the Universities on the collation and use of data, saying that the world was now chasing data and there was, therefore, need for the universities to put in useful form the data they have accumulated over the years to assist governments and businesses in the country in national development.

    “The world is chasing data, collating data. This data is sitting in our universities. Almost every lecturer I know asks students to write one research paper or the other. The data is there, but can we put it in a useful form to inform our governments, to inform our businesses, to inform our society?”

    Recalling his years as Visitor to the Lagos State University (LASU), Fashola, who noted that they had meetings which they christened “The Town and Gown”, with the Town representing Government and the Gown representing Universities, said his administration gained a lot in terms of research outcomes and development.

    “It was a time when we had lectures, symposia, not just in LASU but in other universities”, he said, adding that the University of Lagos Consult was one of the state government registered consultants which his administration used to do a lot of research and a lot of consultancy work.

    The Minister, however, expressed regrets that not enough universities were investing in such consultancy today, pointing out that there are many areas in which Nigerian universities could do research and consultancy such as on general elections and other political issues arising from elections across the country.

  • FG intervenes in 37 bridges across Nigeria – Fashola

    FG intervenes in 37 bridges across Nigeria – Fashola

    The Federal Government says it has intervened in the maintenance and rehabilitation of 37 bridges across the country including the Third Mainland Bridge.

    Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, disclosed this at a news conference to update citizens on the forthcoming partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

    According to him, many of the bridges are being worked on under the deck even while people drive along.

    He said:“Currently, we have intervened on 37 bridges across Nigeria doing repair and maintenance work.

    “Because Lagos was a former federal capital and a coastal and aquatic state where you have so many islands it has by far some of the largest bridges in the country.

    “Some of the bridges as you have heard are the Doma long bridge, Ojuelagba bridge, the independence bridge and the Falomo bridge.

    “At this moment work is going on in the marine bridge linked to Apapa, work has started on the Eko bridge and will also start on the Obalende bridge, which was damaged by fire caused by a tanker that exploded about a month and half ago.”

    He added that the government had to take a condition assessment of Cara bridge, which was damaged by fire from a tanker.

    Fashola said the bridges so far worked on included Tatabu bridge in Niger state, Tanbowawa bridge in Kano, the old river Niger bridge linking Onitsha and Asaba.

    Others are the Isaac Boro bridge in Port Harcourt, Etuok bridge linking Benin and Sapele, Katsina Ana bridge in Benue, Ajaokuta bridge in Kogi, and the Muritala Muhammed bridge in Kotokafe, Kogi.

    According to the minister, the third mainland bridge, which is one of these bridges to be closed partially on which work will commence has been worked on in 2018 and 2019.

    He added that the repair which would be for six months would begin on July 24 by midnight and end on Jan, 24, 2021.

    He appealed to citizens to endeavour to use the bridge only when it was absolutely necessary, adding that the repairs were due to the need for safety and convenience of citizens.

    “After this is done we hope to have a better driving experience on the bridge. We must thank Mr president for his commitment to the maintenance of public infrastructure which is the heart and soul of this undertaking,’’ he said.

    Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), also told the conference that the corps was set for the six months assignment, adding that 250 personnel would be deployed to manage the road.

    Oyeyemi said 50 officials and 200 marshals would be deployed for the assignment including some level of special marshals to man about 21 traffic points from Ojota Motorway to Alapere Bus-stop.

    He said the corps would work with other agencies of the government to ensure that within the first two weeks the road users would get used to the diversions and ensure that what the government wanted to do was achieved.

    Mr Emmanuel Adeoye, Director of Bridges in the ministry, urged citizens to be more patient when using the road to ease the discomfort that could occur.

    According to him, there are 132,702 daily traffic on the bridge, twice the level of Lagos-Ibadan route traffic movement.

    He said the closure would be in two phases to ensure operational efficiency with each phase sub divided into morning and afternoon traffic.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 11.8km-long third mainland bridge, conceived in the `70s as a belt way round the whole city of Lagos, was fully constructed in the 1990s.

    Also present at the conference were the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, acting Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Yemi Oguntominiyi, and other directors in the ministry.