Minister of Works of Nigeria, Dave Umahi, has stated that the Federal Government, needs N341 billion to fix bridges next year.

He said this during the inspection of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal road in Lagos at the weekend.

The minister said Julius Berger Construction Company had discovered what he called carbonization of the infrastructure, a development he described as damaging to the bridges

“They have not even told us what is happening in terms of the roads on the piles that have been exposed and so I want us to know that this is very dangerous,” Umahi stated.

He however appealed to the National Assembly to give urgent attention to the issue pledging the willingness of the ministry to participate should it be called for a conference on the bridges.

“I would like the National Assembly to please give us the backing, not just the money, but, let people understand that we have problems. We don’t know how much this is going to cost. If we are to rebuild this Carter Bridge and the Third Mainland Bridge, even N30 trillion would not do it,” the minister stated.

Umahi said Julius Berger was doing a very beautiful work until they encountered this situation, necessitating conversation.

“We are also contacting internationally to see what the solution will be. But it’s important that the National Assembly do address their minds that we have problems but they are no problems that cannot be surmounted.

“But they are not problems that should be overlooked, motions will be very important to alert the National Assembly on the dangers; not just these two bridges.

“When we discussed with the Buildwell, we see what is going on in the Eko Bridge and Marina Bridge. We will be able to see it here. And when we get to the sea, we are going to see a lot of this.

“And now we like to get the proper information that we have. We have detailed information that a company did the evaluation of the entire problems.

“Let me say that in 2013, a company was brought in to understudy what was happening within this, below the water, and they found a very terrible situation.

And that is what we have asked Berger, part of their contract sticks about 500 million to understudy what is happening. Again, they will also try to procure another independent consultant.

“So that we compare what we did in 2013, 2019, and what Berger is going to find out, and what we independently will find out. This is very important,” Umahi said.