Following the inferno which engulfed Apongbon axis of the Eko Bridge in the early hours of yesterday, the federal government has given occupants of spaces under its bridges in Lagos State seven days ultimatum to vacate the spaces or be forcefully evicted.
As at the time of filing this report, fire fighters were still battling to put out the fire because they could not access its source under the bridge.
The director of Highways, Bridges and Design in the Federal Ministry of Works, Oluropo Oyetade, who represented the minister of Works and Housing, said, “All occupants under our bridges, particularly in Lagos now, have seven days, starting from today, to leave. By March 31, the taskforce will begin to forcefully evict recalcitrant persons. Such persons would also pay to remove their goods.
“By March 31, we will start cleaning up our bridges because if there were no illegal occupants of the space under this bridge, this fire would have been contained. The Eko Bridge has just been awarded for repairs, the contractor has not started work yet and now this has happened.
“Government cannot keep committing huge resources to maintain infrastructure while some unscrupulous elements will continue to draw us back by damaging them.
“The enforcement order will also be extended to other states after now because we can’t continue to record such cases.”
Also speaking, the Lagos State commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins described the disaster as cutting across many sectors.
He reiterated that the bridge was a federal one, but the state maintains it and would partner it on whatever must be done.
“The fire started from under the bridge and though it’s not as serious as before, it has not been quelled because it’s been difficult for the fire fighters to get under the bridge because of illegal encroachment by containers and various activities going on there. They have no access to the source.
“We have done our best to contain the fire, and the fire fighters will remain here to keep the fire under check so it doesn’t extend beyond control,” he said.
