'Ajaokuta-Itobe bridge is intact'

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) says the Ajaokuta-Itobe bridge in Kogi State is intact and can hold for the next 100 years. The agency’s position is coming against the backdrop of a video clip suggesting that the bridge, which linked the North with the Southeast and Southsouth part of the country, was on the verge of collapse.

The video clip, which went viral on Thursday, showed a disturbing image that has been causing panic among motorists and passengers plying the ever busy highway.

When Daily Trust visited the area on Thursday evening, FERMA officials, led by its Highway Engineer, Sunday Adenusi, were already on an on-the-spot assessment visit to the bridge. Engineer Adenusi said the attention of the agency was drawn to the video clip which “suggested that the bridge has already cut off, leaving road users stranded.” According to him, although the expression joint cover of the area the video was taken was missing which created an opening, there was no threat to the bridge and road users. He disclosed that the bridge has nine of such expression joints on both sides of the highway, which are to prevent the opposing rods from colliding. Our correspondent observed that because of the missing expression joint cover, the underneath was visible. Engineer Adenusi explained that a contractor had been engaged by the Federal Ministry of Works, who had earlier assessed areas that required intervention, adding that the contractor will mobilise to site soon.

DailyTrust