Umahi reopens Independence Bridge in Lagos in efforts to alleviate gridlock

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has reopened the Independence Bridge in Lagos after days of repair, which caused significant traffic congestion in the city.

The bridge was initially closed for urgent maintenance, leading to severe gridlock on Wednesday.

In an effort to alleviate the logjam, Umahi ordered the immediate reopening to alleviate traffic pressure, although he initially planned to reopen it by 3 PM on Friday, it was reopened at 1pm, earlier than scheduled.

A video by TVC News captured the moment of the reopening, showing the Minister driving on the bridge, showcasing Umahi’s efforts to restore normalcy to Lagos traffic.

However, it was gathered in a separate report that the bridge would partially reopen by Sunday with half the carriageway accessible.

Dailyeconomy on Thursday, reported that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has taken full responsibility and apologised to motorists and commuters who were trapped in traffic for hours following the closure of the Independence Bridge on Victoria Island on Wednesday.

During a visit to assess the situation firsthand on Thursday, Sanwo-Olu admitted that poor and inconsistent communication about the closure played a major role in the traffic congestion.

Addressing Umahi’s immediate reopening of the bridge order, Sawo-Olu said, With due respect to the honourable minister, we are the ones on the ground, and we understand the work that needs to be done. At the moment, the road is impassable.”