The Managing Director of Jillian Group of Companies, the contractor handling the construction of the 600-metre Otuogori Bridge in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Engr. Christian Omiezor, has explained that the project is still at the preparatory stage, insisting that the bridge structure has yet to be completed and therefore did not collapse.
Omiezor spoke on Monday when officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and journalists inspected the project site following an incident involving the collapse of some bridge beams during construction.
A video had earlier gone viral showing some beams of the bridge, which is expected to link Otuogori with a neighbouring community, falling during the construction process.
Explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident, Omiezor said it occurred during the launching of the bridge beams, as workers were positioning them on their bearings.
He explained that the beams had not been permanently secured and could slide while resting on the bearings, adding that this was what led to the incident.
Describing the occurrence as a minor accident, the contractor said the safety measures put in place at the site prevented any loss of life.
“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,” he said.
“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. The good thing is that, with the safety measures put in place, no life was lost.”
Also speaking during the inspection, the NDDC State Director in Bayelsa, Engr. Godknows Alamieyeseigha, said the commission had commenced an on-the-spot assessment to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Alamieyeseigha dismissed suggestions that the incident resulted from structural failure, describing it as an accident that occurred in the course of construction.
He expressed confidence in Jillian Group of Companies’ ability to address issues identified during the commission’s assessment and complete the project for the benefit of the people of Otuogori.
The NDDC director added that preliminary investigations were ongoing, assuring that the commission would make its findings public at the conclusion of the exercise.
