The Federal Government is set to deploy robotic machines for the underwater inspection of bridges across the country, aimed at reducing the costs associated with hiring divers for such assessments. This was revealed by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, during a stakeholders’ engagement on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project on Sunday.
Umahi stated that the use of robotic technology would enhance the precision and reduce the financial burden of bridge inspections, which have traditionally required hiring divers. “We are going to locate a robotic kind of machine that will be able to do the diving to allow us to see everything happening under the water in all our bridges,” he said.
The Minister also highlighted that the high cost of using divers for underwater inspections was unsustainable, and that the robotic machines would significantly reduce these expenses. He added that Danny Abboud, the Managing Director of HITECH Construction Company, would assist in identifying and procuring the necessary equipment for the project.
Furthermore, Umahi declared a “bridge emergency” across the country, with a focus on assessing the condition of bridges that were built over 53 years ago. This move is part of the government’s broader efforts to ensure the safety and durability of the nation’s bridges. “We want to declare, I don’t know the word to use, bridge emergency, on our bridges, to know what is happening 53 years after we constructed these bridges, not only in Lagos but nationwide,” he said.
As part of the government’s ongoing infrastructural efforts, Umahi also revealed that President Bola Tinubu would inaugurate several major projects beginning on May 1, with more to follow by December. “I want Nigerians to have hope in the renewed hope administration as we are building for the future and inherited projects are given adequate attention,” Umahi added.
In addition to the bridge inspection initiative, the Minister reiterated a directive issued by the Federal Executive Council prohibiting dredging activities within a 10-kilometer radius of any bridge across the country. This decision came after concerns were raised about the impact of dredging near the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. Umahi referenced a warning from Julius Berger, which stated that continued dredging near the bridge could lead to its collapse.
“The piles in Lagos are being held by skin friction. What it means is that it is sand that is holding them; so, if you remove the sand, the piles will start dangling, and it is very dangerous,” Umahi explained.
To further safeguard the nation’s bridges, Umahi called for enhanced collaboration with the Nigerian Navy to patrol waterways and prevent illegal sand filling and dredging activities that could undermine the structural integrity of critical infrastructure.