BENIN-BOUND OF SHAGAMU-BENIN CARRIAGEWAY: Umahi Deploys Team of Engineers To Effect Repairs On Damaged Deck

Senator David Umahi 
Honourable Minister of Works 

"Urgent action has been initiated on the damaged section of the bridge and it will take a maximum period of 45 days after concrete works for vehicular movement to resume on that section of the carriageway, so as to allow the concrete to mature." Ministry of Works 

Minister of Works, David Umahi has directed for the immediate dispatch of a team of engineers to the location of the damaged bridge at the border of Edo and Ondo States of the Shagamu-Benin carriageway. 

The mandate of the engineering team is to immediately effect repairs of the damaged deck on the Benin-bound of the Shagamu-Benin carriageway, that got visibly punctured at the Benin-bound of the carriageway of the bridge within one span of the five spans of the bridge.

This, according to Orji Uchenna Orji, Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, is in line with the proactive approach to interventions by the Renewed Hope administration of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

The statement reveals that "urgent action has been initiated on the damaged section of the bridge and it will take a maximum period of 45 days after concrete works for vehicular movement to resume on that section of the carriageway, so as to allow the concrete to mature. 

It would be recalled that similar incident occurred on one of the spans in the past, and it was repaired with dispatch.

"The damage being noticed on the said bridge is age-related deterioration. Bridges are susceptible to having their structures undermined as a result of old age. The Shagamu-Benin bridge was built in 1981, and the bridge deck is aging. The life span of a bridge can vary significantly based on several factors, including the materials used, environmental conditions, traffic loads, and maintenance practices. This overtime causes issues like punctures, cracks, corrosions, or structural weakness."

"The Honourable Minister of Works assures that permanent solution is underway for the Shagamu-Benin bridge and which is to remove the entire deck slab of the two sets of bridges in Ondo and Edo States which are all within the same location, and rebuild the deck slab through innovative engineering technology. 

"He apologizes to the road users for the inconveniences they have suffered or will suffer within the period of the rehabilitation work and therefore assures that the Federal Ministry of Works shall work with the Federal Road Safety personnel to maintain traffic on one carriageway of the bridge during the period of the rehabilitation to avoid motorists getting stuck in traffic jam. He states that Mr. President is intervening on over 30 bridges rehabilitation nationwide in 2025 alone, and this rehabilitation will happen urgently.

The statement notes that the Honourable Minister of Works thanked the content creator who raised the alarm on the damaged section of the bridge. He noted that the content creator's preconceptions over the modest efforts of the Renewed Hope administration to transform the road infrastructure and expand the transportation ecosystem to stimulate progressive national economic growth but urges him and others with such mindsets to know that the Renewed Hope agenda of revolutionizing road infrastructure nationwide is on course and the mission of revitalizing and strengthening the inherited deteriorating federal road architecture is making significant progress across board.

The Minister reiterated the unwavering commitment of Mr. President in transforming Nigeria's transport sector and positioning it for sustainable economic prosperity. 

"His initiative to construct the Renewed Hope legacy projects in addition to the inherited ongoing road projects is a bold and broad vision to expand the nation's road network,which is a catalyst for overall development, including healthcare, education, tourism, regional integration, industrialization and various other economic activities that will raise nation's human development index", the statement concluded.