FG Begins Emergency Repairs on Sagamu–Benin Bridge

The Federal Government has commenced urgent repair works on the damaged deck of the Sagamu–Benin bridge, raising hopes for safer travel on one of Nigeria’s busiest highways.

In a statement , the Special Adviser to the Minister of Works, Uchenna Orji, said the defect was detected on the Benin-bound carriageway, near the Ondo–Edo boundary, after a puncture appeared on one of the bridge’s five spans.

He said Minister of Works, David Umahi, immediately deployed engineers to the site and directed that emergency reconstruction of the affected sections begin without delay. According to him, traffic is expected to resume on the repaired span within 45 days, the estimated curing period for the concrete.

The ministry explained that the bridge, which was built in 1981, has deteriorated due to age and prolonged usage. To address the problem, a permanent solution involving the removal and replacement of the deck slabs across both carriageways in Edo and Ondo States has been designed.

Umahi apologised to road users for the inconvenience, assuring that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) would manage traffic flow during the rehabilitation. He added that the repairs form part of the ministry’s wider plan to rehabilitate more than 30 federal bridges across the country this year.

By Oshuniran Sheriff Ola