Bridges collapse: Senate summons Fashola

From Fred Itua, Abuja

DISTURBED by the in­creasing rate of collapse of bridges across the country, Senate, yesterday, mandat­ed its Committee on Works to summon the Minister of Power, Works and Hous­ing, Babatunde Fashola, to clear the air on his plan at ending the ugly incidenc­es.

This was just as the law­makers called on the Fed­eral Roads Maintenance Authority (FERMA) to urgently reconstruct col­lapsed bailey bridges across the country.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Gilbert Nnaji.

Nnaji said he was aware that the bailey bridges, developed and used dur­ing the World War II, were built in Nigeria during the pre-independence and post-independence era, up to few years after the civil war to provide temporary crossing for foot and ve­hicular movements.

He noted that so many of the bridges, made from pre-fabricated metal truss and installed in various parts of the country either cave in or collapse due to pressure, thereby causing untold hardship to com­muters, motorists and oth­er road users.

Senator Nnaji said he was disturbed that com­muters, motorists and other road users in areas where bailey bridges col­lapsed pass through seri­ous pains and frustration as they have to terminate their journeys at different ends of the river and then cross over to the other end to continue their journeys.

He recalled the recent collapse of some bailey bridges across Ebonyi River, along Ikem-Neke- Uguogo Road at Ikem- Uno, in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enu­gu State.