The House of Representatives is to investigate all developments, commercial activities, container terminals, markets and other structures located beneath and within the Right-of-Way of Eko Bridge and other Federal bridges in Lagos State to determine their legality and compliance with Federal laws and regulations.
In a resolution following a motion by Lanre Okunola (APC, Lagos), the House ask the House Committee on Public Assets to ascertain whether any public asset has been compromised, occupied, leased, alienated or otherwise utilized contrary to extant laws, and to identify all persons, agencies or organisations responsible.
The House also direct the Federal Ministry of Works, FERMA, the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (where applicable), the Lagos State Physical Planning authorities and other relevant agencies to furnish the Committees with approved engineering drawings, survey plans, Right-of-Way maps, occupancy approvals and all relevant documents relating to developments around Eko Bridge.
The House said the investigations should recommend appropriate enforcement measures, including the removal of all illegal structures found to be within the Federal Right-of-Way, and propose long-term measures for the protection, monitoring and preservation of Federal bridges nationwide.
Moving the motion at plenary, Okunola described Eko Bridge as a strategic Federal Government infrastructure under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works, serving as one of the major transportation corridors linking Lagos Mainland and Lagos Island.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Works has consistently maintained that the Right-of-Way of Federal roads and bridges is protected from unauthorised developments and has declared that structures erected within the designated Right-of-Way constitute illegal encroachments.
He maintained that reports by the Federal Ministry of Works revealed that illegal activities around Eko Bridge, including unauthorized operations near the bridge foundations, resulted in damage to critical structural components, thereby necessitating emergency engineering intervention to safeguard the bridge.
He said “Numerous containers, makeshift structures, warehouses, markets, workshops and other commercial developments have continued to emerge beneath and around Eko Bridge and adjoining bridge corridors, raising serious concerns regarding public safety, structural integrity, environmental sanitation, fire hazards and unrestricted access for bridge inspection and maintenance.
“The continued occupation of areas beneath and adjacent to Federal bridges may impede routine engineering inspections, emergency repairs and future expansion works while posing significant risks to commuters and adjoining communities”.
He expressed concern about the continued encroachment on the Federal Right-of-Way which he said could undermine the lifespan and structural stability of critical bridge infrastructure, adding that there is uncertainty regarding whether the occupants possess valid approvals from any competent Federal authority and whether such approvals, if any, comply with the provisions of the Federal Highways Act, applicable planning regulations and Federal Ministry of Works guidelines.
He said further that the absence of effective inter-agency coordination between the Federal Ministry of Works, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), the Lagos State Government and other relevant agencies may have contributed to the proliferation of unauthorized developments.
—By Abdulazeez Babarinde
