Elizabeth Vincent, Yenegoa
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has dismissed concerns over the incident recorded during the construction of the Otuogie bridge linking Otuogori community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, insisting that the occurrence was an accident and not a structural failure.
The director of the Bayelsa State office of the NDDC, Engr. Alamieyeseigha Godknows, gave the clarification during an on-the-spot assessment of the incident, explaining that the inspection was aimed at establishing the circumstances surrounding the occurrence and evaluating the condition of the ongoing project.
“Godknows said preliminary findings indicated that the incident resulted from an accident during construction activities, expressing confidence in the technical competence of the contractor handling the project and its capacity to deliver the bridge in accordance with approved engineering specifications and standards.”
He assured residents that the commission would make its findings public after completing the assessment, adding that further clarification would be provided once investigations had been concluded.
Also speaking, the managing director of Jilean group of companies, the project contractor, Engr. Christian Omiezor, said engineering accidents should be subjected to thorough investigations to establish their causes, identify possible shortcomings and introduce additional safety measures to prevent a recurrence.
“Omiezor stressed that an accident during construction did not automatically mean that an entire project should be abandoned, insisting that the appropriate response was to conduct a comprehensive assessment and implement necessary corrective measures before work resumed.”
Drawing comparisons with incidents in schools and hospitals, he noted that such occurrences were normally followed by investigations to determine what went wrong and establish measures to prevent similar incidents.
“The same principle applies to engineering. We will assess what happened, strengthen the safety procedures and ensure that work continues under improved safety conditions,
that is what engineering is all about: applying scientific principles to identify and solve problems.”
“Explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident, Omiezor said it occurred during the launching of the bridge beams, when one of the beams, which was resting on a bearing but had not yet been secured, slipped.”
“He described the occurrence as a minor accident, noting that the safety measures put in place helped prevent loss of life. 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 and that was what happened.”
“The good thing is that, with the safety measures put in place, no life was lost,” he explained,the contractor expressed optimism that the project would be substantially completed by August or September next year, 2027, when motorists could potentially begin using the bridge.”
He said the contract was awarded to his company by the NDDC based on its confidence in the firm’s technical expertise and track record, adding that Jilean Group had executed several projects for the commission, many of which were still functioning.
According to him, the project involves the construction of a 600-metre bridge, although the structure remains at the preparatory stage, with the major construction activities yet to be completed.
Omiezor reiterated the company’s commitment to delivering the project in line with approved engineering standards, assuring that additional safety measures would be strengthened to ensure the smooth and safe execution of the remaining construction work.
He maintained that the incident would not derail the project, expressing confidence that the bridge would be delivered within the revised construction timeline for the benefit of residents of Otuogori and neighbouring communities.
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