Date: 2017-07-11

The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday inspected the collapsed bridge on the Ilorin-Mokwa-Jebba road with the promise to ensure free flow of vehicular traffic within two weeks.

The acting President, who visited the site for on-the-spot assessment, stated this after receiving assurances from top government officials including Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and the contractors handling the project.

A statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, said Osinbajo specifically received briefs from relevant officials on site including the site engineers and supervisors from the Federal Ministry of Works.

He also embarked on a tour of the collapsed bridge. Osinbajo then told journalists at the site that government was fully committed to ending the difficulties on the Ilorin-Mokwa-Jebba road by addressing the remote causes of deterioration on the road.

He said: "The Minister of Works is working on a lasting solution but in the interim, we have assurances from the contractors and engineers working here that this road will be made passable in about a fortnight."

He assured that construction work on a new bridge would commence soon, saying it would take some time for it to be completed due to the slow movement of material from Ilorin to the site.

"The contractors have informed me that movement of material to this location would be difficult and slow because of the deplorable nature of the road. But with the commitment and support of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and other agencies, the job would be done in good time," he added.