The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has assured of immediate reconstruction of the bridge between the New Artisan flyover and the Naira Triangle, at the Enugu end of the Enugu – Port Harcourt expressway, starting with the collapsed one.

Umahi, who blamed the bridge’s collapse on eroded abutment and age, having been constructed in 1978, also applauded Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for undertaking to dualise the Enugu State part of the Enugu-Abakaliki road, saying the governor had shown leadership in ameliorating the plights of his people.

Umahi spoke when he inspected the collapsed bridge in company with Governor Mbah Thursday evening.

“This bridge that collapsed has gone viral. A lot of people have been sending the pictures to me and have been calling. Also, you never allowed me to rest since you said I must come and see it. When you have a leader, who is committed to what leadership of a people should be, he must get support. That is why I decided I must come so that I will brief the president.

“I am also very sure that when they see the two of us together, they will find out that the president is a man that listens.

“Yesterday, I sent the man in charge of bridge design and construction and also the Director of the Federal Ministry of Works in charge of the South East. They came and carried out their review.

“What has happened here is very unfortunate. I have read the report of my men, and I have also read the report you sent to us, and the pictures, and the two reports are the same. The piles were exposed because besides the abutment, this bridge was built in 1978.

“We are going to look at the second bridge and see how far remedial work could be done on it and see if we can use it while we do everything to demolish this one and start the reconstruction. And we are going to scale up the reconstruction of the two bridges alongside the road that is going on,” the minister added.