The Federal government yesterday unfolded plans to rehabilitate the Marina and other major shorelines in Lagos State.
It said the decision was to avert the dangers posed by erosion to major infrastructures like the Lagos Blue Rail Line along the coastlines.
The government also reassured Lagos residents that the 11.8-kilometre Third Mainland Bridge would be reopened in April.
Minister of Works Dave Umahi made this known to reporters after a joint project assessment with Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun in Lagos.
The ministers, alongside contractors and top directors of the Federal Ministry of Works, spent almost two hours in boats navigating under the Third Mainland, Carter and Eko bridges.
After inspecting the lagoon sections, the ministers also inspected the under deck of Carter Bridge and the Ijora section of Eko Bridge and assured that there was no cause for fear over their “solidity.”
They later inspected the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway and the ongoing rehabilitation of the flyover at Lotto Junction.
Umahi said the impact created by the current of water on the Lagos shorelines was a source of concern.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the ongoing repair works on the top deck of the Third Mainland Bridge and said the repair would be completed in April.
He said: “It is going to be a classic reinstated bridge by the time we finish. There will be street lights and Closed-Circuit Cameras (CCTV) on and under the bridge.
“Some of the defective elements are going to be fixed. But there’s nothing to worry about. We are going to reinstate those defective slabs with a new design.
“Over the years, after the construction of the bridge, there was no serious maintenance. “
The minister assured that contractors would begin work on the underdeck and lagoon sections of the Third Mainland and Carter Bridges next week.
Umahi added that advertisement for bids for facilities on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would begin within a week.
A statement on the project assessment by the Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Works, Olusola Abiola, said Umahi ordered squatters under the Carter Bridge to leave because their activities could affect the facility.
Edun, who commended Umahi and his team for ongoing road projects in the country, allayed the fears of some Nigerians on how the deplorable and ageing infrastructure nationwide would be financed.
Edun, who expressed satisfaction with the designs, implementation and costs of the projects, assured of adequate funding of all infrastructure in line with the core agenda of President Bola Tinubu to further grow the nation’s economy.
He said the Federal Government was working towards achieving a 77 per cent increase in its Internally Generated Revenue to boost the economy and fund critical infrastructure.
The finance minister said: “Seventy-seven percent of the funds for infrastructure provision and repairs will be derived from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“The haemorrhage from fuel subsidy has been stopped. All the monies that found their way to private pockets are now in government domain. We will use the money judiciously and let the public have the dividends of democracy.”
Edun restated the commitment of President Tinubu to economic growth, restoration and digitalisation of the economy, infrastructural development, and putting policies in place while blocking long-standing leakages caused by fuel subsidy.
He urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to take advantage of opportunities in the oil market to shore up revenue for the nation.
The two ministers also visited the Lagos – Calabar coastal highway and met with the contractor to review the progress work on the project.
Umahi and Edun had previously visited the ongoing construction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road.
