The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said that the total rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State cost ₦43 billion, while the Closed Circuit Television camera centre on the bridge cost about ₦2.5 billion.
Umahi disclosed this on Monday in Lagos while addressing journalists.
He explained that the scope of work covered the full rehabilitation of 14 kilometres of the bridge, with a width of 14 metres on two carriageways.
“It also includes rebuilding and repainting some concrete works, replacing expansion joints and putting in solar lights,” the minister said.
Umahi noted that the CCTV centre was part of the overall rehabilitation contract, stressing that contrary to reports in some quarters, it did not cost ₦40 billion.
“The total contract sum for rehabilitation of the bridge is ₦43 billion. The cost of the CCTV centre is not more than ₦2.5 billion,” he stated.
The minister, who inaugurated the CCTV centre on Sunday, said the current administration met the Third Mainland Bridge in a very poor condition 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,” Umahi said.
He added that President Bola Tinubu directed a total re-evaluation and rehabilitation of the bridge, including the replacement of its expansion joints.
Also speaking, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr Olufemi Dare, described the CCTV centre as the first of its kind in Nigeria.
“We have a boat that has been bought for surveillance of the bridge. There are two Hilux vans too. We have 240 solar panels in this environment,” Dare said.
He added that the facility is fully air-conditioned and equipped with 10 inverters, a 300 KVA transformer, a standby generator and multiple monitoring screens.
The project, according to officials, is aimed at improving safety, security and monitoring on the busy Lagos bridge.
