Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has apologised to Lagosians who were left stranded in hours-long gridlock owing to the repair work going on at the Independence Bridge in Lagos.

The closure of the Independence Bridge for repair work left thousands of Lagosians grounded in the area between Wednesday evening and early Thursday.

Governor Sanwo-Olu during an inspection of work at the Independence Bridge in Lagos.

But on Thursday morning, Governor Sanwo-Olu visited the area to inspect the level of work. He apologised to Lagosians over the traffic situation, saying more should have been done in communicating with residents of the state over the development.

“First, I think what is appropriate is really to first tender apologies to all our citizens and to all Lagosians for the very, very difficult, heinous traffic that we experienced in the last 24 hours in the city and within the island of Lagos,” the governor who was accompanied by his deputy Obafemi Hamzat and other government officials said while inspecting the project

“I think this apology is important so that we can take full responsibility as a government, both at the national and sub-national levels, for just taking our people through an unfortunate incident.”

“This apology is important so that we can take full responsibility as a government for putting our citizens through an unfortunate incident.”

Last month, the Lagos Government said it was closing the Independence Bridge in the Victoria Island area of the state for two months for emergency repairs.

The government asked motorists to use alternative routes during the period. However, on Wednesday evening, when the repair work began, thousands of commuters and other road users were locked in a severe traffic jam, prompting a public outcry.

The worst traffic known to mankind happened yesterday in Lagos. Some people who left office 3-5pm got home this morning.. some are still on their way home , some even slept in their offices. I don’t know why they decided to close down the independence Bridge. Is this a Country pic.twitter.com/abdSsBADeE

Videos of motorists and other road users stranded in the gridlock quickly went viral on social media. Many of them left their vehicles and trekked several kilometres to reach their destination while hundreds of others spent hours, even to the early parts of Thursday, on the road.

In the wake of the public outcry, the Federal Government ordered an immediate reopening of the bridge to ease traffic.

“The Ministry hereby express regret for the inconvenience caused to the motoring public by the closure and appealed for their understanding and cooperation,” the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, O.I Kesha, said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who acknowledged the difficulties commuters faced, however, said the closure was for the greater good of residents of the nation’s commercial heartbeat.

He said the repair work was to avert a disaster.

“It was all for a good cause, it is all to avert future disaster waiting to happen. You know how life is — there is never a best time for you to do all you want to do, there will always be challenges even if you think it is the best time,” Sanwo-Olu said.

“This contract has been signed over three years ago; our duty is to preserve the integrity of the Independence Bridge — which is like one of the oldest bridges in the country.”

The governor asked residents of the state to plan accordingly, given the repair work.

“If you don’t have business to do in Victoria Island in the next two to three weeks, conduct your business via social media, telephone, Zoom meetings, online meetings, let’s plan,” the governor said. “If you don’t need to come and visit somebody here, you don’t have to come.”

The Federal Ministry of Works has ordered the immediate reopening of the Independence Bridge in Lagos after millions of Lagosians were locked in hours-long gridlock on Wednesday.

In a statement by the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos O.I Kesha, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, “directed the immediate reopening of the Independence Bridge in Lagos to vehicular traffic.”

“This directive follows the earlier closure of the bridge for planned maintenance and rehabilitation works,” the controller said.

“Efforts are currently ongoing to ensure palliative works are carried out on the already opened bridge to make it motorable”.

The Ministry regretted the inconvenience caused to the motoring public by the closure and appealed for their understanding and cooperation.

It said, “the necessary repair works on the bridge would be carried out at a later time”.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

Federal Ministry of Works, Lagos

PRESS RELEASE ON IMMEDIATE REOPENING OF INDEPENDENCE BRIDGE (AHMADU BELLO WAY-MARINA BOUND).

The Honorable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi has directed the immediate reopening of the Independence Bridge in Lagos to vehicular traffic.

This directive follows the earlier closure of the bridge for planned maintenance and rehabilitation works.

Efforts are currently ongoing to ensure palliative works are carried out on the already opened bridge to make it motorable .

The Ministry hereby express regret for the inconvenience caused to the motoring public by the closure and appealed for their understanding and cooperation.

The Federal Ministry of Works clarified that the necessary repair works on the bridge would be carried out at a later time.

E-signed
Engr. (Mrs.) O. I. Kesha
Federal Controller of Works, Lagos