The Senate, on Wednesday,
mandated its Committee on Works to
invite the Minister of Works, Power
and Housing, Babatunde Fashola,
over the status of Bailey bridges
nationwide.
Bailey bridges, made from pre-
fabricated metal truss, developed
and used during the Second World
War, were built in Nigeria during
pre-independence and post Civil War
era.
They were used to provide
temporary crossing for foot and
vehicular traffic.
However, the bridges have either
collapsed or caved in due to
pressure and age, noted Gilbert
Nnaji (PDP-Enugu East) who
sponsored the motion titled:
“Recurring Collapse of Bailey
Bridges Nationwide.
Mr. Nnaji added that the collapse of
the bailey bridges nationwide had
caused “untold hardship to
commuters, motorists and other road
users.”
He cited the example of a collapse
bridge across Ebonyi River along
Ikem-Neke-Ugwuogo Road at Ikem-
Uno in Izi-Uzo local government area
of Enugu State.
“The attendant loss of lives and other
forms of livelihoods, as well as other
forms of economic deprivation and
losses are avoidable if proactive
steps are taken from time to time to
either maintain or to reconstruct
such bridges,” said Mr. Nnaji.
Following Mr. Nnaji’s motion, the
Senate, therefore, mandated its
Committee on Works to invite Mr.
Fashola “to brief the Committee on a
viable plan of action for the
reconstruction of all Bailey bridges
nationwide”.
Accordingly, the Committee is
further mandated to “undertake an
inventory of all Bailey bridges
nationwide with particular attention
to their year of construction and
current status”.
The Committee has four weeks to report back to
the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Ike
Ekweremadu, who presided on Wednesday, ruled.


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/193901-senate-summons-fashola-over-bailey-bridges.html

Wc one be bailey bridge again