The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has condemned the vandalism of road infrastructure across the country, describing the destruction of public assets as “devilish”, “wicked” and unacceptable.
Umahi spoke on Sunday during a press conference and stakeholders’ engagement on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, where he also flagged off repair works on the Eko Bridge and Marine Bridge in Lagos.
Naijaonpoint reports that the minister urged Nigerians to support the government in protecting public infrastructure, stressing that the President, ministers and state governors could not be everywhere to monitor national assets.
“It is very disheartening to know that these people, the efforts they are putting in to destroy national assets, if they put it on labour work in Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, if they put it in all the construction sites of the state government and Federal Government, they will put in less effort, and they will make more money.
“So, it’s devilish, it’s wickedness, and it’s unacceptable. The President cannot be everywhere; he is not a spirit. The minister cannot be everywhere; governors cannot be everywhere, so we have to come together to protect our national assets.
“When these roads are built under the President, they will last for 100 years. But when the roads are excavated and removed, we will be back to square one, and God will not allow it,” he said.
His comments came against the backdrop of the recent vandalism of sections of the newly constructed Festac-Alakija Bridge in Lagos.
Suspected scavengers reportedly broke into parts of the bridge in an attempt to remove embedded iron rods and other metal components, prompting security and enforcement agencies to launch an operation to apprehend those responsible.
The Lagos State Government subsequently announced the arrest of 27 suspects in connection with the incident.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who inspected the affected sections of the bridge on Saturday alongside engineers and contractors, assured residents that the structure remained safe, sound and open to traffic.
Sanwo-Olu also ordered immediate reinforcement and repairs on the affected sections, while warning that those involved in the vandalism and buyers of stolen government property would face the full force of the law.