NDDC denies bridge collapse report in Bayelsa
By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has dismissed reports circulating on social media that a bridge project under construction in Otuogori community, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, had collapsed.
The Commission said an incident occurred at the construction site of the 600-metre Otuogori-Otuegwe Bridge, but insisted that the bridge itself had not been constructed and therefore could not have collapsed.
Addressing journalists during an inspection of the project, the NDDC Director, Bayelsa State Office, Engr. Godknows Alamieyeseigha, described the reports as misleading.
“We don’t have a bridge yet because we are still at the stage of crossing the beams. So, no bridge has collapsed.
“However, there was an incident at the construction site, and we are assessing the circumstances surrounding what happened,” he said.
Alamieyeseigha dismissed suggestions that the incident resulted from structural failure, describing it as an accident during construction.
He expressed confidence that the construction company would address issues identified during the assessment and complete the project.
He also said no bridge had collapsed in Bayelsa State or any of the nine Niger Delta states.
The NDDC director said the Commission’s current board and management, led by Chairman Chiedu Ebie and Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, had prioritised quality assurance in project execution.
He added that NDDC engineers and independent consultants regularly inspected project sites across the region to ensure compliance with approved engineering designs and standards.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the construction firm, Mr Christian Emiezor, assured that the Otuogori-Otuegwe Bridge was being executed in line with high construction standards.
He explained that the project was still at the preparatory stage, with work focused on positioning the beams before the construction of the main bridge structure.
According to him, the incident occurred during the launching of the beams, which were being positioned on their bearings.
“We are constructing a 600-metre bridge, but as you can see, we have not constructed a bridge yet. What you are seeing is just preparations for the bridge,” Emiezor said.
He described the incident as a minor accident, explaining that a beam resting on a bearing but not yet secured could slide during the positioning process.
“What was going on was the launching of the beams, and in the process, there was a slight accident. Because the beam was resting on a bearing and had not been secured, it could slide. That was what happened,” he said.
Emiezor added that safety measures at the site prevented casualties. “The good thing is that, with the safety measures put in place, no life was lost,” he said.
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