Planned repairs on Third Mainland Bridge postponed

The proposed repair work earlier scheduled to begin on the Third Mainland Bridge on Sunday did not commence.

Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Charles Akpabio, had said on Saturday that the Federal Government had postponed the repair work indefinitely.

He said the development was to allow government put more measures in place so ensure hitch free repair.

Sources within the state government told our correspondent that the inability of the state and federal governments to agree on some modalities was among the factors responsible for the postponement.

But the Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, said there was no cause for alarm.

He said, “The work will start in a matter of days.

“The postponement was at the instance of the Federal Controller of Works.

“The contractors are ready and the state government is fully prepared to ensure free flow of traffic while the repair lasted.”

The repairs on the bridge were earlier scheduled to commence on July 1 and end on November 6, 2012.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has urged community leaders to caution their youths against harassing contractors handling government projects in rural areas.

A statement by the Ministry of Rural Development on Sunday said its commissioner, Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi, conveyed government’s observation at an interactive session with leaders of Community Development Committees in the 57 local council and chiefs of the grass-roots security unit, Neighborhood Watch.

According to the commissioner, the situation has become worse in recent times, and it is acting as a stumbling block to the development of rural areas.

He said, “We learnt that some of these youths demand exorbitant fees from the contractors before they will be allowed to carry on with their work.

“The situation is worrisome considering the fact that the government in most cases insists that the contractors engage the service of youths within the locality where the project is going on.”

The commissioner said the government was committed to ensuring better security at the local level.

He added that the state planned to do this with the establishment of a training academy for NW officials to ensure constant efficiency.