The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Raji Fashola, has said the collapsed bridge on Mokwa-Jebba road will be repaired within 72 hours.
Fashola told newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State, shortly after he paid homage to the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris in his palace on Sunday.
He explained that the ministry had deployed personnel from relevant agencies to provide measures that would ease traffic on the collapsed bridge at Mowo Junction, along Makwa-Jebba road for motorists within the next 72 hours.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, had on Sunday morning alerted motorists on the collapse of the bridge after Mowo Junction on the Mokwa-Jebba road, due to heavy rainfall.
The Agency had said the bridge, which is 18 kilometres from Mokwa town in Niger State, caved-in, following a downpour which affected vehicular movement from both sides of the road.
The Mokwa-Jebba road is a major transit route for travelers between Abuja and Ilorin.
Fashola attributed the bridge’s collapse to “the hazards that come with weather changes.
“All over the world we see them, mudslide, hurricane, volcano, windstorm, damaging public infrastructure. So, Nigeria is not exempted.
“We know this will cause some discomfort to commuters, for which we apologise for. It is an emergency and we are treating it as such. We are responding.
“A year ago, I think also on the 10th of June, Tatabu bridge also collapseed as a result of rising water level and heavy rainfall and we responded.
“We have fixed and reconstructed a new bridge, which is bigger and better. We will do the same thing in Mokwa,” the Minister said
The minister said the ministry had gained some experience in dealing with such situations.
“Fom our contractors to our staff, we know what to do and by the time I got aware of it early this morning, all our staff had started responding.”
