TheCable

The federal executive council (FEC), has approved the sum of N6.28 billion for surface maintenance of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos state.

The council meeting, presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, was held on Wednesday.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Babatunde Fashola, minister for works and housing, said the repairs will last for 24 months and will cover 11 kilometers including interchanges, ramps, and critical links.

Fashola said this was in line with the executive order 11 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, in April 2022, which gave legal backing to the country’s national maintenance policy.

Earlier this month, the Lagos state government announced that a section of the bridge would be shut for repairs.

However, Fashola said there would be no duplication of efforts.

The minister said while the federal government undertakes surface maintenance to treat potholes and restore missing guard rails, the state’s public works corporation would focus on the functional structure of the bridge such as the underwater piles.

“The council approved a fresh contract for the maintenance of the pavement of the Third Mainland Bridge and this was approved in the sum of N6.28 billion for 24 months,” the politician said.

“I have been asked about the works that have been done on the bridge before. The works are concentrating largely on the substructure of the bridge, the underwater piles, the pile caps, and also the replacement of the expansion joints and the bearings.

“These are maintenance works that are critical to the structural integrity of the bridge. What we are dealing with now is different. It is the driving surface and also the aesthetics.

“Some of the rails have been stolen. Some of the pleats are misaligned at the routes that lead you on and off the bridge.”

Fashola added that there are no anticipated prolonged closures during the maintenance work.

Speaking further, Fashola said the council approved another N17.5 billion variation for the contract for the construction of the old Enugu-Onitsha road whose current sum now stands at N48.99 billion, “with an additional completion time of 42 months.’’

CUSTOM GETS APPROVAL FOR N18.5 BILLION FOR VEHICLES

Meanwhile, FEC also approved three memoranda, amounting to a total sum of N18,544,797,176 for works and purchase of operational vehicles for the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

Clem Agba, the minister of state for budget and national planning, told journalists that the work has to do with the restructuring of the auditorium of the custom’s headquarters.

He said the operational vehicles, 337 units in number, are aimed at easing work environment and to protect the personnel, motivate them, and “allow them to do their job efficiently, especially across very difficult terrains”.

“The first one had to do with the provision of additional seats in the auditorium at the customs headquarters in order to increase the sitting capacity so that it can be used for large events, seminars, and meetings,” Agba said.

“The makeup of these items are provision and installation of audiovisual system, conference hall finishing, ground…, provision and installation of acoustic panelling and door for the auditorium, and then partitioning and doors. Inclusive of this is additional seats at the auditorium, at the total cost of N1,257,612,549.76. This is inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT.

“The other two memos had to do with provision of operational vehicles for customs. One was for 177 vehicles; these are Toyota Coaster, Toyota Hiace (mid-roof), Toyota Land Cruiser Buffalo, total of N9,378,829,942.75, for this set of 177 vehicles.

“For the other one where we had a set 160 vehicles. These are Toyota Hiluxes and also Toyota Land Cruiser Buffalo, that’s 160 vehicles at a total sum of N7,908,354,685.75 and its inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT.”