Umahi: FG to Install CCTV on Bridges, Commissions Third Mainland Bridge’s Facility

Bennett Oghifo

The federal government has concluded plans to deploy closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance systems on all bridges on federal roads across the country, as part of a broader strategy to enhance road safety, security and infrastructure management.

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed this at the commissioning of a state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring station for the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

Umahi said the project was in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to comprehensively rehabilitate critical road and bridge infrastructure nationwide, stressing that the Third Mainland Bridge intervention was conceived not just as a Lagos project but as a model for the entire country.

According to him, when the present administration assumed office in 2023, the condition of the Third Mainland Bridge was alarming, with defects on the pavement surface, the superstructure above water and the substructure beneath. “The President directed that bridges and roads must be totally re-evaluated and rehabilitated because once a bridge is cut into two, movement is completely disrupted,” he said.

The minister explained that beyond structural rehabilitation, the CCTV system was designed to address speeding, frequent vehicle fires, suicide attempts and general security challenges on the bridge. He said security agencies, led by the police, would enforce speed limits and operational rules, supported by real-time surveillance and rapid response facilities, including patrol vehicles and boats.

He noted that the monitoring station was strategically located on designated lay-bys to prevent obstruction of traffic, with personnel equipped with communication gadgets to ensure swift intervention. “We see everything going on on this bridge. This engagement is a testament to what Mr. President wants over all our federal roads, and we are starting with this as an example,” Umahi said.

The minister also used the occasion to issue a series of policy and operational directives aimed at improving the quality and durability of road construction nationwide. He announced that stone base laying would henceforth require the use of paper and cement mixture to improve longevity, while all road shoulders would be constructed with concrete rather than asphalt.

Umahi further disclosed that the Ministry of Works was being reorganised to strengthen supervision and accountability. Under the new arrangement, directors, deputy directors and controllers would each be assigned specific projects to supervise, supported by dedicated engineering teams, with clear reporting lines. “People must take responsibility for what they do and what they fail to do,” he said, adding that sanctions would apply to non-performing officials and contractors.

On ongoing projects, the minister spoke extensively on the rehabilitation of the Iddo Bridge, which suffered severe damage following a fire outbreak caused by illegal occupants. He said one carriageway had been rehabilitated to restore traffic flow, while three damaged spans of the other carriageway would be removed and rebuilt. The project, he said, was expected to be completed by the end of June, with efforts underway to increase headroom clearance to prevent future truck impacts.

Umahi also expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work on the 34-kilometre Ikorodu–Itokin Road, describing progress as unacceptable despite significant payments to the contractor. He issued fresh technical directives, including night-time excavation, cement-stabilised stone base and phased completion to maintain traffic flow. He warned that failure to comply could lead to termination of the contract and possible arrest of erring contractors, regardless of political considerations.

Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos said the Third Mainland Bridge CCTV facility was unprecedented in Nigeria, combining surface and underwater surveillance with a rapid rescue response time of two to three minutes. He disclosed that the facility was powered by 240 solar panels, supported by inverters, batteries, a 300KVA transformer and a standby generating plant. He added that the N43.1 billion project had so far received about N36 billion in payments and marked the first phase of commissioning.

Engineer Musa Seidu of the Ministry of Works described the CCTV facility as a critical safety component of modern engineering, while Julius Berger’s Regional Manager in Lagos, Thomas Crystal, outlined ongoing works on the Iddo Bridge, including phased demolition, reconstruction, drainage improvements and road lowering to increase clearance and prevent further damage.

The commissioning, stakeholders said, signalled a new era of technology-driven road management and stricter infrastructure governance under the Tinubu administration.