The Enugu State Government says it will reopen one lane of the Enugu- Portharcourt expressway bridge for use by December 24.
The State Commissioner for Works, Gerald Otiji, disclosed this while briefing newsmen after the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House in Enugu on Friday.
NAN reports that Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State had on November 9, announced that the Federal Government would commence the reconstruction work on the collapsed bridge.
He said the reconstruction would begin with palliative work on the one lane of the bridge that was standing to ensure it was ready for use within the next 10 days.
Otiji told journalists that the Artisan Cattle Market Bridge is being reconstructed by the Federal Ministry of Work in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry of Works.
“With this, we can direct all the trucks to ply the road instead of coming into the state capital.
“We are also having a traffic management team that will help to control traffic in the state,” he said.
On water supply, the Commissioner urged Enugu people to be patient with the government, pledging that it would do everything possible to ensure that water returned to their taps.
Otiji blamed the stoppage in water reticulation on damage and burst pipes and apologized for every inconvenience it has caused residents.
He explained that the pipes being excavated were the ones laid by Dr Michael Okpara, the Premier of the South-East region about 50 years ago.
