Press Release.
By Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Acting President
The flow of vehicular traffic on the Ilorin-Mokwa-Jebba road would be normalized within two weeks, according to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
Already the Federal Government has commenced work to make the road passable pending the commencement of work on re-construction of the collapsed Bakino bridge at Tatabu community near Mokwa in Niger State.
Prof. Osinbajo who visited the site for an on-the-spot assessment earlier today gave the assurance having received assurances from top government officials including Power, Works & Housing Minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and the contractors on site.
Specifically the Ag. President received briefs from relevant officials on site including the site engineers and supervisors from the Federal Ministry of Works. He also embarked on a tour of the collapsed bridge.
Prof. Osinbajo then told newsmen at the site that government was fully committed to ending the difficulties on the Ilorin-Mokwa-Jebba road by addressing the remote causes of the deterioration on the road.
According to the Acting President, “the Minister of Works is working on a lasting solution but in the interim we have assurances from the contractors and engineers working here that this road will be made passable in about a fortnight.’’
He assured that construction work on building a new bridge would commence but that it would take some time for it to be completed due to the slow movement of material from Ilorin to the site.
According to him, “The contractors have informed me that movement of material to this location would be difficult and slow because of the deplorable nature of the road but with the commitment and support of the Federal Road Safety Corps and other agencies, the job would be done in good time.’’
He added the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport were both working on a more lasting solution that will reduce the over -dependence on the highway especially by diverting the movement of heavy duty cargo from the roads to the railways.
While speaking to youths who had gathered at the site of the collapsed bridge, Prof. Osinbajo conveyed the greetings of President Muhammadu Buhari to the community and urged for patience while government’s efforts are in top gear to fix both the collapsed bridge and the road.
The Acting President was companies on the visit by Mr. Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing; the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, the Estu Nupe, HRH, Dr Yahaya Abubakar and other senior government officials.
Featured photo of Professor Osinbajo; Niger Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello; and Power, Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola leaving collapsed bridge site in Tatabu, near Mokwa, Niger State.
Photo: Courtesy, Novo Isioro.
