Lawmakers demand that the fallen artisan bridge in Enugu be rebuilt immediately

The Ministry of Works has been requested by the House of Representatives to immediately rebuild the bridge that collapsed at the New Artisan and Enugu-Port Harcourt motorways.

The House passed the resolution in response to Nnolim Nnaji’s motion, which was supported by Chimaobi Atu, Stainless Nwodo, Mark Obetta, Chijioke Okereke, Sunday Umeha, Paul Nnamchi, Iduma Igariwey, Obi Aguocha, Peter Aniekwe, and Ugonna Ozurigbo. The motion was introduced in the plenary on Tuesday.

Additionally, the Green Chamber urged the federal government to provide adequate funding for strong roads and bridges with top-notch facilities throughout the Southeast, as well as to take proactive steps to ensure the maximum level of life safety through thorough risk assessment and implementation of safety findings.

The House also instructed the House Committee on Works to keep an eye on and communicate with the federal Ministry of Works to ensure that the resolutions to fix the collapsed bridge and other South Eastern routes are followed.

Moving the motion, Nnaji noted that a truck carrying goods from Nigerian Breweries and an unidentifiable lorry were on the bridge on Monday, September 5, 2023, when it collapsed at the New Artisan Market along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Federal Motorway.

He emphasised that no one perished in the tragedy as rescue personnel sprang into action to prevent any imprudent car from driving into the water beneath the bridge;

The lawmaker made this statement in light of the collapsed bridge’s significant economic value to Nigeria and its location not only along the Enugu federal motorway but also as a connecting road to some areas of Imo and Ebonyi states, as well as to Umuahia, Aba, and other South-South regions like Port Harcourt in Rivers, Cross, and Akwa Ibom States.

According to Nnaji, if this bridge is not fixed immediately, it will have a significant negative impact on commuters’ well-being and the logistics of moving goods and services, as well as the economic growth of Enugu State and several other states.