The Federal Government through the Ministry of Works, has frowned at vandals who destroy road and bridge infrastructures across the the country, warning that such acts will attract the full wrath of the law.
Minister of Works, Engr Dave Umahi, stated this on Thursday at a press conference, during which he commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s road transformation agenda which spread across the six geo-political zones of the country.
He cited the repeated acts of vandalism, particularly along the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and major bridge corridors, which he lamented have constituted setbacks to ongoing projects in part of the nation..
The minister gave example of widespread sabotage of federal assets, the termination of a ₦1.5 trillion contract renegotiation, as well as the fresh presidential approvals for strategic road infrastructures.
“We have drawn the attention of Nigerians to the massive vandalisation of our critical infrastructure across the country. If we do not protect what we are building, repairs will continue endlessly, and that is not healthy for our society.
“I was in Lagos two weeks ago. The governor, the Commissioner of Police, and the good people of Lagos have massively deployed along that corridor to check vandalism,” he said.
On the flooding along the Coastal Highway, Umahi disclosed it was as a result of intentional blockage of underground drainage systems during break-ins, while in the Shagamu axis, he decried that vandals have been cutting reinforcement components and removing protective materials installed to strengthen road shoulders.
“They cut the wires. They remove elements intended to protect the roads’ beauty and structural strength. These illegalities have consequences.
“Bridges are not designed to carry static loads. When you park heavy trucks on them, you are inviting structural failure,” he warned, adding that interim engineering interventions are being considered by his ministry to increase durability by about three years.
According to the minister, illegal miners have damaged pipelines and removed expansion joints for scrap, and that security operatives have apprehended vandals dismantling “cat eyes” and electrical fittings from bridge decks.
The minister said President Tinubu has directed the installation of CCTC surveillance systems on federal highways to prevent vandalisation of road infrastructures .
Already, He attested to the fact some vandals have been arrested as a result of cameras mounted on the Third Mainland Bridge.
.He also disclosed that the ministry inherited 2,064 ongoing projects valued at roughly ₦13 trillion, with total exposure now standing at ₦16.9 trillion when he assumed office.
On projects funded through the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) infrastructure tax credit scheme established by Executive Order 007, the minister said; "The President directed that the Ministry of Works should assume full responsibility. The projects are not dead, but we must prioritise and restructure them."