Nation

FG To Shutdown Third Mainland Bridge For 72 Hours

Published

6 years ago

December 23, 2020

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola on Tuesday announced a 72-hour total closure of the Third Mainland Bridge to cast concrete on the expansion joints.
Popoola told The Tide source in Lagos that the shutdown will take effect from midnight Friday to midnight on Tuesday.
He added that construction works had reached the stage for casting concrete on additional three expansion joints.
“There is going to be total closure of Third Mainland Bridge in order to allow for the casting of three number expansion joints on the Island Bound lane
“ The effective date of the closure will be from 12:00 midnight of 25th of December. So people will be allowed to use the Third Mainland Bridge to celebrate Christmas.
“By the time the Christmas is winding down which is 12:00 midnight, we are going to close it so thata we will be able to cast the concrete on Saturday the 26th and 27th we cast again.
“ And we need about 72 hours for this concrete to set. Therefore, the opening will be on the 28th December midnight, that is 72-hour closure.
“This is to prevent vibration of the bridge. If we allow vehicles to be moving on one lane, there is going to be vibrations and the concrete will not set properly,”he said.
The controller said that all the alternative routes were in good condition and traffic regulatory agencies had been deployed to effectively divert and manage traffic to avert gridlock.
He appealed to road users to cooperate with traffic regulatory agencies.
Popoola also announced a 48 hours partial closure of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from December 28 to December 29 to complete some work on a fly over bridge on the project.
“The contractor, Messers Julius Berger wants to install cross beams at Kilometre 16, that is, around MFM,” he said.
He explained that the Piers were already standing on both sides of the road and the contractor was to lay the cross beam on top across the road.
“That area will be cordoned off, there will be closure within that section from 12:00pm on 28th of December and it will be opened to traffic by 5:00am the following day.
“ 200 meters to get to that particular location we have diversion and another diversion 200 meters away from that place.
“One lane will be opened to traffic, it is only one lane we are closing to traffic at a time. The first lane that we are going to close is outward Lagos, that is the Ibadan bound carriageway, we will close it on the 28th.
“ And then the second day which is 29th, we are moving to the other lane which in inward Lagos. The same 12:00pm to 5:00am,” Popoola said.
He appealed for patience and understanding of road users saying that the construction was part of the progress that the Federal Government had achieved on the project.
“We regret all the inconvenience and hardship this might have created,” he said.
He said that all the construction zones had been cleared and the highway had been opened to traffic which was responsible to seamless movement on the road.
The Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, which was going through series of repairs, had to be partially shut on July 24 for another round of rehabilitation works.
The repair expected to last six months was extended by one month due to the recent #EndSARS protests in Lagos extending the completion date from January 2021 to February.
The construction was initially divided into two phases of three months on each carriageway, starting with the Oworonsoki bound carriageway whose completion dragged to four months.
Traffic was partially diverted on a stretch of 3.5km where construction is ongoing between Adeniji Adeniji Ramp and Ebute Meta, while different time belts were allotted for traffic diversions on the bridge.
The 11.8km bridge is the longest of the three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the Mainland.
The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.
Constructed in 1990, the bridge was adjudged as the longest in Africa until 1996 when the Oct. 6 Bridge in Cairo, Egypt was completed.
The reconstruction/rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on the other hand was flagged off in 2013 by former President Goodluck Jonathan and was awarded to two firms.
Julius Berger is constructing section one which spans from Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu Interchange while RCC is working from the Sagamu Interchange to Ibadan.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

1 week ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) says it has strengthened collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to enhance quality control and enforcement frameworks.

Mr Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake, the Head of Communications, REAN, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the collaboration would also involve stakeholder engagement on testing, certification and capacity building in Nigeria.

He said the synergy would strengthen quality control and enforcement frameworks, promote policy alignment, and ensure stronger regulation across the renewable energy value chain.

“REAN reaffirms its commitment to standardisation and quality assurance; tighter collaboration with SON is critical to eliminating fake and substandard renewable energy products from the Nigerian market.

“Enforcement and gaps in existing standards have continued to allow inferior products to circulate, undermining consumer confidence and slowing sector growth.”

Lloyd-Dietake said that at high-level discussions, REAN also highlighted the need for stronger regulatory coordination to address emerging challenges in the renewable energy space.

According to him, the issues include inconsistencies in standards, affordability issues linked to certification processes; and the increasing presence of substandard solar and renewable energy equipment in the country.

“The association further raised concerns about delays in product testing and approval, calling for the establishment of more testing laboratories and certification facilities to improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks in the system,’’ he said.

Lloyd-Dietake urged closer collaboration among key regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the Rural Electrification Agency.

He said such team work would ensure harmonised standards and more effective enforcement against fake renewable energy products in the Nigerian market.

In response, SON acknowledged the important role REAN continued to play in supporting standardisation within Nigeria’s renewable energy industry and reaffirmed its willingness to deepen collaboration with the association.

SON further confirmed that REAN would be actively involved in future standard review processes and upcoming stakeholder engagements related to renewable energy and electric mobility standards development.

Lloyd-Dietake said REAN affirmed its willingness to formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

He said the MoU is aimed at deepening cooperation, promoting quality assurance, and accelerating Nigeria’s transition towards reliable and standardised renewable energy solutions.

Nation

Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

Published

1 week ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme, implemented by Self Help Africa, has expanded access to safe water and sanitation services for more than 320,000 people in Kano and Cross River States.

The organisation disclosed this on Tuesday at the WS4H National Results and Learning Workshop in Abuja, where stakeholders reviewed achievements and lessons from the intervention.

Speaking at the event, Self Help Africa Country Director, Joy Aderele, said the programme demonstrated that sustainable WASH improvements require strong institutions, effective governance, adequate financing and collaboration.

Aderele said the UK-funded programme was designed to strengthen systems that support sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

According to her, the intervention focused on improving governance, planning, financing, accountability and sector coordination to ensure resilient service delivery.

“More than 320,000 people now have improved or restored access to water services through programme-supported interventions,” she said.

She added that more than 5,520 household toilets were constructed in Yala and Makoda Local Government Areas, boosting sanitation, public health and efforts to end open defecation.

Aderele said the programme also strengthened public investment in WASH, with Cross River increasing its sector budget by 211 per cent in 2026 and Kano by 169.07 per cent.

She added that dedicated WASH budget lines had been established across 40 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in both states, strengthening accountability and institutional commitment.

According to her, both states reviewed and adopted updated WASH policies, while key planning documents were developed to guide future investments and service delivery.

She said Cross River also recorded a major legislative milestone through the passage of the Water Law and Open Defecation Prohibition Bill.

Aderele added that lessons from interventions in Yala LGA were already informing expansion efforts in Obubra Local Government Area.

While commending the achievements, she noted that capacity gaps, resource constraints and climate-related pressures remained challenges to sustainable WASH services.

“The sustainability of these gains will depend on continued government leadership, adequate financing, strong partnerships and investment in institutional capacity,” she said.

Also speaking, the Programme Manager of WS4H, Mr Timothy Ibeawuchi, said the intervention focused on strengthening systems needed to sustain gains and attract future investments.

According to him, the programme engages stakeholders in developing strategies that preserve achievements and support long-term service delivery.

“System strengthening work takes time because it addresses the fundamental issues responsible for sustainable and resilient service delivery,” he said.

Ibeawuchi said the programme strengthened policy development, planning, financing, monitoring and evaluation systems across the WASH sector.

He said two pilot local government areas were supported to develop WASH strategic plans outlining sector goals, targets and activities between 2026 and 2030.

According to him, the plans will guide future interventions and improve service delivery in the affected councils.

Earlier, the representative of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Chidera Chukwu, reaffirmed support for Nigeria’s development efforts in spite of the programme nearing completion.

Chukwu commended the Self Help Africa-led consortium for delivering the programme with professionalism and a strong focus on systems strengthening.

He said the consortium contributed greatly to strengthening Nigeria’s WASH sector through policy reforms, improved coordination and enhanced accountability.

“Together, we have advanced key policy and legislative reforms, including open defecation-free laws and strengthened state WASH frameworks,” he said.

According to him, the reforms represent enduring system-level changes that will continue delivering benefits beyond the programme’s lifespan.

In his remarks, Mr Jamilu Habu, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, commended the programme’s achievements.

Habu, who represented the Permanent Secretary, said the intervention strengthened governance, coordination, evidence-based planning and institutional capacity in the WASH sector.

He described the workshop as an opportunity to review achievements, share lessons and identify pathways for sustaining and scaling successful interventions.

According to him, the programme’s innovations and best practices will guide future policies and investments aimed at expanding access to safe WASH services.

Habu stressed the need for continued collaboration among governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and communities.

He said stronger partnerships remained essential to achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and meeting Sustainable Development Goal 6.

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

1 week ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

Residents of Ajah, Mafoluku and other flood-prone communities in Lagos have recounted how Thursday’s torrential rainfall left them stranded, submerged homes and cut off access to major roads.

The residents, who spoke with Tide source, on Friday called for urgent government intervention to tackle the recurring flooding blamed on poor drainage infrastructure.

Along Mobil Road in Ajah, Mrs Rukayat said floodwaters submerged about 200 metres of the road, forcing commuters to wade through waist-deep water.

“The water level was almost up to my lap. People literally had to wade through it to get home,” she said.

According to her, many motorists turned back, while others abandoned their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot.

“The only way to pass through the water was by walking or using a tricycle. Even then, the tricycles broke down and had to be pushed,” she said.

Rukayat said some youths assisted stranded tricycle operators by pushing their vehicles through flooded sections for a fee.

She said residents had repeatedly alerted authorities to the flooding but little had changed.

“We reported this when the rains started, but apparently nothing has been done about the problem,” she said.

She attributed the flooding to poor drainage and possible blockage of a major canal serving the area.

“There is a big canal here, but I don’t know what is preventing water from flowing through it properly,” she said.

According to her, overgrown vegetation and sand deposits might have obstructed the canal, reducing its capacity to discharge stormwater.

She added that although floodwaters usually receded after a few hours, sections of the road remained waterlogged.

In Mafoluku, residents said several streets, homes and access roads were submerged, leaving many unable to return home after going about their daily activities.

Mrs Iriagbonse Okunkpolor, a resident of Agboola Street, said what began as a short trip to buy household items became an hours-long ordeal.

“I left my house to buy a few items nearby, but the rain started suddenly and flooded the entire street.

“I was stranded for hours because there was no safe way back home,” she said.

Another resident, Mr Mukaila Idris, described the flooding as both dangerous and distressing.

“The current was very strong. I watched people pay young men to carry them across the water because they were afraid of being swept away or falling,” he said.

According to him, only physically fit residents could navigate the floodwaters safely, while many others waited several hours for the water level to subside.

Mr Williams Ekpo, who lives in the Eyinogun area, said the flood extended beyond the roads and entered residential compounds.

“The floodwater entered our compound and damaged some household items.

“This happens almost every rainy season, yet nothing seems to be done to address the drainage problem,” he said.

The residents urged the relevant authorities to investigate the persistent flooding and improve drainage infrastructure to prevent a recurrence during the rainy season.