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Officials say Carter Bridge Structurally Safe, as 3rd Mainland Bridge reopens

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6 years ago

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The Director, Highways, Bridges and Designs in the Federal Ministry of Works, Adetokunbo Sogbesan, said on Saturday in Lagos said that the Carter Bridge is structurally okay and safe for use.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a portion of the outer walls of the bridge outbound Iddo link Road is dented.

Sogbesan told journalists during an inspection of the bridge that some tests had been conducted and that the bridge is structurally okay and safe for use.

He said vehicles carrying excess load beyond the headwall of the bridge had knocked off outer slabs meant to beautify the bridge.

He explained that the beams of the bridge had hollows which were covered by slabs but that vehicles carrying loads beyond their headroom pulled off some outer covering of the bridge.

Sogbesan said: “We are here to allay the fears of Lagosians about the Carter Bridge.

“This bridge was commissioned in July 1958, that is, over 60 years ago.

“And it was constructed by Borini Prono Nigeria Limited.

“The method of construction used is that the beams have hollows.

“The hollows are spaces.

“The structurally stability of the bridge both longitudinal and diagonal beams are structurally okay but for aesthetics measures the beams were covered with reinforced walls.

“It is the walls that are broken.

“We have been here before to examine and inspect the bridge and we are to confirm that structurally, the bridge is okay.”

Sogbesan also said barricades would be put on Iddo link road where the problem occurred to ensure that only cars and buses use the road to avert damage to the bridge.

According to the director, the link road was originally built by Lagos State Government to allow cars and buses pass through the Third Mainland and Carter bridges to the Island.

Sogbesan warned all illegal occupants encroaching under the bridge to quit, saying they will soon be evacuated.

He said: “All illegal occupants under this bridge must leave.

“The abuse on this bridge to stop.

“We will start enforcement immediately, we would issue notices and we are going to enforce it.

“We are going to evict every illegal occupant under the bridge.

“We don’t want abuses on the bridges again.

“We must move them out and we are going to collaborate with Lagos State.”

Gainrranco Albertazzi, Joint Managing Director, Borini Prono, who confirmed that the bridge was constructed by the firm in 1958, said the Carter bridge was not damaged.

Albetazzi said: “It is only the damage done by a vehicle carrying some loads that should not have passed through the bridge, but the main beam is structurally intact.

“What has been touched is the cover which is of a small thickness which is not too important.

“More so, this first beam is only carrying the pedestrian lane, it is not carrying any vehicular traffic.”

He said there was no cause for alarm as the bridge’s slab could easily be replaced.

He stressed the need to speed up the construction of the barricades to stop further damage beyond the slabs.

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Adedamola Kuti, said a task force was being set up to dislodge illegal occupants under all the bridges in Lagos.

Kuti said: “We are going to evict illegal occupants of our infrastructure.”

Third Mainland bridge

The Third Mainland Bridge was reopened on Sunday by 5:00 pm, the Lagos State government has said.

The government revealed this in a statement on Sunday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Dr Taiwo Salaam.

The announcement comes three days after the bridge was temporarily closed for Investigative Maintenance Test.

The state government explained that the decision to reopen the bridge earlier than announced followed the completion of the test by engineers.

It thanked motorists and residents for their cooperation and patience while the closure lasted.

The Federal Government had temporarily shut the bridge for the Investigative Maintenance Test with the closure initially scheduled to last from midnight of Thursday last week to midnight of Sunday.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, and officials of relevant state government agencies in the state were on the ground on Thursday to supervise the closure of the bridge.

Following the closure, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) deployed 650 personnel to all alternative routes to the Third Mainland Bridge, to ensure the free flow of traffic on the roads.

LASTMA’s General Manager, Mr Olawale Musa, had said that the agency was aware of the volume of traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge and the consequences of diverting such huge traffic on the alternative routes during the period.

He had asked the officers on duty to show compassion to motorists, especially those that were unfamiliar with the alternative routes and other roads in the metropolis.

Mr Musa also urged motorists and commuters to be patient and cooperative with the traffic officers, to ensure a free flow of traffic on all alternative routes during the closure.

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Transport

Federal Government To Launch Out 2700 CNG Buses, Tricycles Ahead Of First anniversary Of Tinubu’s Administration

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1 week ago

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April 22, 2024

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The Presidency on Sunday said it was ready to launch about 2,700 CNG-powered buses and tricycles before May 29 when President Bola Tinubu turns one year in office.

“All is now ready for delivery of the first set of critical assets for deployment and launch of the CNG initiative ahead of the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration on May 29.”

It said the Federal Government is set to deliver 100 conversion workshops and 60 refuelling sites spread across 18 states before the end of 2024.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed Sunday titled ‘Presidential CNG initiative set for rollout.’

“From the end of May, Nigeria will take some baby steps to join such nations that already have large fleets of CNG vehicles.

The CNG tricycle
The CNG buses

“All is now ready for delivery of the first set of critical assets for deployment and launch of the CNG initiative ahead of the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration on May 29.

“About 2,500 of the tricycles will be ready before May 29, 2024…working towards delivering 200 units before the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration,” said the Presidency.

He also said that over 600 buses are targeted for production in the first phase which will be accomplished in 2024.

In October 2023, about five months after the removal of the petrol subsidy, President Tinubu launched the Presidential CNG Initiative to deliver cheaper, safer and more climate-friendly energy.

The CNG Initiative was designed to deliver compressed natural gas, especially for mass transit.

The Federal Government earmarked N100bn (part of the N500bn palliative budget) to purchase 5500 CNG vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 Electric buses and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits, with plans to develop CNG refilling stations and electric charging stations nationwide.

The FG had said the initiative would ease the burden of the increased pump price on the masses.More information added that the creation of a new plant on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that will assemble the tricycles while Brilliant EV will assemble electric vehicles when it receives the Semi Knocked Down components.

The Presidency explained further, “The SKD parts manufactured by the Chinese company LUOJIA in partnership with its local partner to support the consortium of local suppliers of CNG tricycles are set for shipment to Nigeria and expected to arrive early in May.

It is expected that before 2027, There’ll be a considerable wave of these buses and tricycles in use.

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Transport

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu Unveils First Set of Electric Buses In Lagos

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1 year ago

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May 2, 2023

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The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced the first set of electric buses for the state’s mass transit scheme.

Sanwo-Olu announced this on his Instagram page on Sunday, as he shared pictures of the buses.

He partly wrote, “I am excited to announce the first set of electric buses in the Lagos Mass transit master plan as part of our increased effort to modernise every sector of Lagos.

“Thanks to our partnership with #Oando_PLC, Lagosians can expect a cleaner and greener public transportation system.

“With the ability to travel 280 km at full charge, taking into account our unique travel times in Lagos, our electric buses are a game-changer.”

Here are pictures of the electric bus.

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Transport

Federal Executive Council Approve the sum of N453.90bn for Kano Rail Line under construction

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1 year ago

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March 23, 2023

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The Federal Executive Council has approved the sum of N453.90bn for the procurement of rolling stock, operation and maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line currently under construction.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Wednesday, March 22, after this week’s Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The approved sum also includes N510.93m meant for procuring four customised fire service/search and rescue vans in seaports at Port Harcourt, Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island port and the Marina headquarters of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

The 248km rail line will traverses Kano, other cities such as Kazaure in Bauchi State, Daura and Mashi in Katsina State; Dutse in Jigawa State, the border town of Jibia, before terminating in Niger Republic’s trade and agricultural hub of Maradi.

According to a former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, the line has 15 stations along its path with a forecasted daily traffic of 9,364 passengers and approximately 3000 metric tons of cargo.

However, the project has been fraught with resistance, especially from lawmakers.

However, on Wednesday, Sambo said: “The memorandum sought council’s consideration and approval for the award of contract for the procurement of rolling stock, operation or maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line that is currently under construction.

“The contract was awarded to MSSRs Mota-Engil Nigeria Limited, who are the contractors handling this particular project in the sum of $984,722,302.5 inclusive of seven and a half per cent VAT with a completion period of four years.”

Sambo also revealed that the Transport ministry presented another memo on behalf of the Nigerian Ports Authority “for the award of contract for the construction and supply of four customised Fire Service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims for Rivers Ports in Port Harcourt, Lagos Port complex, Tincan Island Port and the Marina headquarters of the NPA, all in Lagos.

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