…… Pedestrians, motorists express anxiety over imminent collapse
By Steve Agbota
Pedestrians and motorists have expressed anxiety over the state of the Oke Afa-Mass Burial Bridge, which now faces threat of imminent collapse.
The bridge, which links to so many routes under Oshodi-Isolo and Egbe Local Governments had caved in for the past one month and no palliative has taken place on the bridge as it getting weak everyday.
The bridge connects Isolo, Cele, Jakande gate, Isheri, Ijegun, Egbe, Ikotun, Bucknor, Idimu, Canoe-Ajao Estate and Oke Afa estate among others poses dangers to the lives of pedestrians and motorists if urgent repair is not initiated immediately.
The failing of the bridge couple with the bad roads have been causing serious traffic gridlock along the area.
Checks by Daily Sun revealed that the bridge was last rehabilitated over two decades ago, even as pedestrians and motorists have called on government to expedite action to avert the impending danger.
Further investigation by Daily Sun revealed that not less than 7,000 vehicles including heavy duty trucks, commerical buses, private cars and Keke Napep pass through the Oke Afa-mass burial bridge everyday.
Residents who spoke with Daily Sun said that each street around Oke Afa and Its environs has nothing less than three to five warehouse where the heavy duty trucks come on a regular basis to offload.
They said the trucks offloading at these warehouses pass through the same bridge, which has been neglected by the Lagos and Federal Governments everyday and these warehouses pay all manners of taxes.
Speaking with Chief Executive Officer of Teniola Fabrics, Mosunmola Eniola said that
the failing portion of the bridge shows that the situation portend grave danger, whenever trailer passing through it.
She added that actions must be taken by concerned authorities to ensure that the bridge is rehabilitated without any delay in order to prevent the looming dangers ahead.
One of the landlords who spoke with Daily Sun, Sunday Emmanuel, urged the both State and Federal Governments to move swiftly to repair the bridge while calling for ban of heavy duty trucks on the bridge until after repair work has been carried out.
According to him, “the bridge needs rehabilitation and there is need to stop heavy duty trucks for now, until it is repaired; this bridge has been there for over 20 years and of course, nothing has been done previously, which has weaken the bridge. What needs to be done on this is to rehabilitate it to avert dangers.
“If this bridge falls, the casualty will be much and it will now deprive the movement of pedestrians, vehicles and cargo. So what Government should do is to expedite action in making sure the bridge is rehabilitated. But it is like the main iron that is carrying the bridge is weaker, that is what they call attachment.”
He said iron on the bridge now is weaker because of how the bridge is vibrating whenever trailers are passing.
A motorist, Chike Anobi said that there is a great risk over their life as some part of the bridge has collapsed already.
“We need both State and Federal Governments to take immediate action to fix this bridge. The environment is the most populated area in Lagos State. Do you know the thousands of vehicles passing through this bridge every 24 hours?
“This is a major road that connect almost every part of Lagos State. How can a responsible government leave the road to deteriorate to the extent of taking people’s lives. It is so pathetic my brother! We have so many warehouses in this axis that offload containers everyday. The owners of these warehouses cannot use their money to fix the road because they pay taxes to government. It is the responsibility of government to fix it,” he lamented..