Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, says over N3.8 billion is being used to repair four bridges damaged by vandals and petrol laden tankers.
Fashola disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a Town Hall Meeting on Protection of Public Infrastructure.
The Minister who was a panelist at the town hall meeting organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture to address incessant and worsening destruction of critical infrastructure.said that N203 million was being used to repair Otedola bridge in Lagos, which was damaged by fire caused by petrol laden tanker.
He said Kara bridge also damaged by fire from petrol laden tanker was being repaired with N605 million, while Tamburawa bridge in Kano which was damaged by illegal mining activities was also being repaired with N1.8 billion.
Fashola also disclosed that over N200 million contracts had been awarded for the repair of airport linked bridge in Lagos also destroyed by petrol laden tanker.
He explained that besides the four bridges, N813.5 million was being used for the reconstruction of three bridges damaged by insurgents in Borno and Gombe states.
The Minister said the damages were regrettable because they were consuming the limited resources that could have been used for addressing other pertinent issues facing the nation.
He stated that “no nation grows beyond the capacity of its infrastructure’’ and the country must optimise the little it had
Fashola spoke on the need to strengthen the laws prescribing sanctions, ranging from penalties, fines to terms of imprisonment upon conviction for the offences adding that it was important to upgrade existing laws in line with current realities.
