The Federal Government says the Carter Bridge in Lagos is now irredeemable, and stakeholders must prepare for tough decisions.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, said this after inspecting the bridge’s under deck on Thursday. He explained that government had hoped to salvage the ramps to cut costs and time.
“That decision, we could not take,” Umahi said. “We need consultants and Berger to put their observations, and we have instruments to determine whether the observations are right or wrong.”
According to him, if the consultants’ reports stand, both the ramps and the main axial section of Carter Bridge must be pulled down.
Old Bridge Still Under Water
Umahi reminded stakeholders that the old Carter Bridge demolished with explosives still lies at the bottom of the lagoon.
“Whatever we are doing, we have to consider removal of that so as not to affect our navigational activities,” he said.
The ministry is studying whether anything can still be salvaged. A new alignment for a future Carter Bridge is also under review.
“The critical decision we have to take is: since it seems that all stakeholders are at peace that a new Carter Bridge should be constructed, is there any way we can salvage and repair something to be in use while we take a different alignment?” Umahi asked.
No Plans for New Third Mainland Bridge
The Works Minister clarified that government is not considering a fresh Third Mainland Bridge.
“The ministry is not buying the idea of a fresh Third Mainland Bridge, we will do everything possible to do rehabilitation of the bridge,” Umahi stressed.
The Carter Bridge, constructed in 1901, is one of three major bridges linking Lagos Island to the mainland, alongside the Third Mainland Bridge and the Eko Bridge. At the time of its completion, it served as the sole connection between the mainland and Lagos Island.
Stretching from Iddo on the mainland to the Idumota area of Lagos Island, the bridge played a vital role in the city’s transportation network.
It was named after Sir Gilbert Thomas Carter, a former Governor of the Colony of Lagos. Built by the British colonial administration before Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the Carter Bridge underwent significant changes after independence.
It was dismantled, redesigned, and reconstructed in the late 1970s, with the Alaka-Ijora flyover at the Iddo end completed in 1973.
Nigeria’s bridges carry thousands of vehicles daily, but many are already overstressed. A World Bank study has repeatedly warned of the risks of ageing infrastructure in major African cities.
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