WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE DR. KADIRI OBAFEMI HAMZAT AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE LEKKIIKOYI BRIDGE

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COURTESIES
It is with great pleasure that I welcome everyone to this historic event which again reinforces our determination to move our dear State to a community of the next century. It is the coming to full circle of a State determined to provide its people the quality and quantum of infrastructure that will enable us realize our full potential as a State and as individuals. The inauguration of Nigeria and West Africa’s first cable stayed bridge, no doubt, is a testament to the sagacity of an administration determined to build tomorrow’s infrastructure today. Some people will ask why have we built such a bridge? The answer is simple. We, Lagosians, want our State to be as good as any in the world. I am sure no one can question that determination.

This is a continuation of this Administration’s commitment to provide qualitative infrastructure that is funtionally creative and which is highly reflective of the vision driving development in this State, that is Nigeria’S economic and socio-cultural nerve centre. It is the hallmark of a commitment to the welfare and socio-economic wellbeing of our people.

This bridge was conceived in year 2008, as a palpable solution to the bottleneck (which resulted from real estate growth) that characterized the Ikoyi to LekkiNictoria Island axis of the State. Clearly the volume of traffic on the axis was higher than the capacity of available roads. The axis is reputed to be the fastest growing real estate corridor in Africa. It recorded tremendous growth in the number of people residing or working along the corridor.

This led to the need to create an alternative route. Our choice is this new cable stayed link bridge; the first of its kind in West Africa.

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It has been designed to service and provide access road around the Elegushi Roundabout and Lekki Phase 1. The aesthetically savvy bridge provides the standard megacity compliant facility and serves as a strategic bypass along the Falomo Bridge and Alfred Rewane, Independence Bridge and Ahmadu Bello Way.
Technical Details:

Total length of Bridge is 1.3S8km comprising of 122m approach and main bridge 466m and length of cable- 170m (suspended section)Height of Pylon -87m from water level. Navigational Requirement clearance average of 9m above High water level. Width- 16m across (8m on both sides) Walkway-4m across (2m on both sides) Road works -Ikoyi End – 338. 7m Road works -Lekki End – 311. Sm

To achieve the above, the following had to be undertakenSite clearance. Relocation of services (Lekki and Ikoyi Ends). Determination of design criteria and other conceptual engineering services. Surveying-Topographic, Land and Hydrographic. Surveying – Hydrological current flow and influence on permanent structures. Comprehensive soil investigation on alignment. Field Test! Data Collection.

investigation/ Analysis for Final design of suspended Bridge. Site installation A: For pre- cast production yard (palava yard) Site installation B: Including temporary Jetty Lekki side. Site installation c: Including temporary Jetty Ikoyi side. PC full span bridge (Approach Structure). PC Box Girder Bridge (Main Bridge). Pylon & Cables.

Foundations. Pile Caps. Piers Parapets, Railings & Concrete divider Earthworks Roads & pavement Kerbstones Pedestrian walkways Lane marking/signs Culverts Drains Landscaping Water supply Cable duct system Fence and Gates Maintenance Building
In achieving all these, skills and knowledge were transferred to local engineers and students who came in droves to understudy various components that make up the construction of the bridge.

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As the agency of government with responsibility for designing, implementing and maintaining the State’s Infrastructure, we are irrevocably committed to ensuring quality infrastructure fit for the State’s megacity status. Infrastructure provided must not only reflect present realities but also envisage future growth trends.

We have in the aftermath of the construction of the Bridge engaged with the user community to gauge their interest and expectation from the bridge. Our findings are quite interesting. Through a research conducted by TNS RMS, Nigeria, we know through validated data that the road will impact positively on the lives of residents. An aggregation of views shows that people see it as a way of easing traffic congestion and also saving time. It is the expectation of would be users that at least a 30 minutes travel time reduction will be generated by the use of the bridge by commuters. Some in the study says they love the bridge because it will make Lagos more beautiful, and reduces stress of commuters. All these we agree with. For a city like Lagos such time gains are critical to both business and personal lives

This bridge is indeed for posterity and represents a significant content in the State’s tourism portfolio. Suffice for me to acknowledge the support and understanding shown by residents along this corridor throughout the period of execution of the project. They have been reliable partners in progress. It is this partnership that is the requisite condition for the faster development and delivery of infrastructure in the State.

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I urge all of us to take ownership for this bridge so that all forms of abuse are prevented. Let me be clear that trading on the bridge will not be allowed.
This project has been executed to the highest engineering standards and I enjoin users to be patient and obey traffic laws. I also want to commend the efforts of the contractor Messrs Julius Berger and officials of the Ministry of Works & Infrastructure for their commitment to the delivery of this bridge.

Also, 700 new jobs were created, from Engineers to welders, drivers and labourers. There were 149 skill acquisition participants, 40 holiday jobbers, 20 interns, and 8 corpers involved. Hence, we are not just building a bridge but enhancing our society in terms of security and prosperity.

In the brochure you are holding we attempted to take you through the journey taken to bring this bridge to life. It is designed as a souvenir that we expect our students, lecturers in the universities, professional engineers and others will learn from and understand the practicality of the bridge types and designs.

Let me at this time express the Ministry’s gratitude to His Excellency, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, who has taught us to be audacious in our thinking and plan projects with all necessary details and more importantly gave us the required tools to do our job. May God continue to elevate you, Sir.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen; once again I welcome you to the inauguration of Lekki- Ikoyi link Bridge; an infrastructure that clearly shows that Lagos is on the rise.
Eko 0 ni baje o.
Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat
Hon. Commissioner forWorks & Infrastructure

 

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