The Federal Government spent N43 billion on the full rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, with an additional N2.5 billion used to establish a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) control centre, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said.
Umahi disclosed this on Monday while addressing journalists in Lagos, dismissing claims in some quarters that the CCTV facility alone cost as much as N40 billion.
He said the rehabilitation works covered the entire 14-kilometre stretch of the bridge, spanning two carriageways with a width of 14 metres, and included extensive structural and safety upgrades.
According to the minister, the project involved rebuilding and repainting sections of concrete infrastructure, replacing worn expansion joints and installing solar-powered lighting along the bridge.
“The total contract sum for the rehabilitation of the bridge is N43 billion. The cost of the CCTV centre is not more than N2.5 billion,” he said.
He explained that the CCTV facility was an integral part of the rehabilitation contract and was designed to improve surveillance, safety and emergency response on the bridge.
Umahi, who inaugurated the CCTV centre on Sunday, said the current administration inherited severely degraded bridge infrastructure in Lagos when it assumed office in 2023.
“When we came on board in 2023, we met a very terrible Third Mainland Bridge, Carter Bridge and Iddo Bridge, both on the pavement surface, infrastructure above the water and even infrastructure below the water,” he said.
He added that President Bola Tinubu subsequently directed a comprehensive re-evaluation and rehabilitation of the bridges, including the replacement of critical expansion joints on the Third Mainland Bridge.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olufemi Dare said the CCTV centre was the first of its kind on any bridge in Nigeria.
According to Dare, the facility is equipped with a surveillance boat, two Hilux patrol vehicles, 240 solar panels, multiple inverters, a 300KVA transformer, a standby power generator and several monitoring screens, all housed in a fully air-conditioned building.
He stated that the centre would support real-time monitoring and faster response to incidents on the bridge.
In addition, the Federal Government disclosed it has ruled out plans to toll the rehabilitated Third Mainland Bridge.
Umahi said emergency infrastructure, including a tow truck and an ambulance, would be stationed on the bridge to respond swiftly to accidents and breakdowns.
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