Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has directed the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to fix the collapsed portion of the bridge on the Edepie-Otuasega-Imiringi road in Ogbia Council Area of the state.
Diri, who gave the directive at the weekend during an inspection of the failed portion, said he asked the ministry to carry out remedial work on the road, as its users were Bayelsa people that suffer the effect of the damage.
The road, which links three council areas in the state, was recently cut off by erosion leaving commuters stranded on both sides.
A statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Daniel Alabrah, quoted Diri as saying that his administration would not fold its hands and watch Bayelsa people suffer as a result of the collapsed bridge.
He said the level of damage indicated that the contractor and the engineers that supervised the construction did not do thorough work on the road.
“Recently the Federal Government told states not to repair their roads. But the road links three local government areas and the primary users are Bayelsa people. So, even when we know that it is a federal road, we have to act immediately.
“To ameliorate the sufferings of our people, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure mobilised to the road to ensure that remedial work is done to enable our people to use the road.
It is, however, unfortunate that the job that was done appears not to be a very concrete one. I’m sure if the engineers come here, they will know where the problem lies,” Diri said.
While responding to questions from journalists, the governor said with the pace of work, the failed portion would be fixed within one week.
He was accompanied by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, another lawmaker, Tonye Isenah, Chief of Staff, Government House, Benson Agadaga, Commissioner for Special Duties, Preye Broderick, her Communication, Science, and Technology counterpart, Promise Ekio, and other top government officials.
