The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has dismissed reports that the ongoing construction of the Otuogori-Otuegwe Bridge in Bayelsa State collapsed.
The Commission clarified that the incident occurred during the positioning of concrete beams for the 600-metre bridge, which remains under construction.
The NDDC Director of Bayelsa State Office, Engr. Godknows Alamieyeseigha, gave the explanation while addressing journalists during an inspection of the project site in Ogbia Local Government Area.
Alamieyeseigha described social media reports claiming that the bridge had collapsed as misleading. He explained that construction had not reached the stage of building the main bridge structure.
“We don’t have a bridge yet because we are still at the stage of crossing the beams. So, no bridge has collapsed,” he said.
However, he confirmed that an incident occurred during the construction process, adding that the Commission was assessing the circumstances.
The director expressed confidence that the construction company would address any identified issues and complete the project.
He also dismissed suggestions of structural failure, insisting that no bridge had collapsed in Bayelsa or any of the nine Niger Delta states.
Alamieyeseigha attributed the Commission’s emphasis on quality assurance to the leadership of its Chairman, Mr Chiedu Ebie, and Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku.
He said NDDC engineers and independent consultants regularly inspect projects across the region to ensure compliance with approved designs and engineering standards.
The Managing Director of the construction firm, Mr Christian Emeozor, also explained how the incident occurred.
According to him, workers were launching the concrete beams onto their bearings when one beam slid before they could secure it permanently.
“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,” Emeozor said.
He described the occurrence as a minor construction accident, explaining that the beam was resting on a bearing and had not been permanently secured.
Emeozor added that safety measures at the construction site prevented casualties.
“The good thing is that, with the safety measures put in place, no life was lost,” he said.
The NDDC maintained that the bridge project remains ongoing and that the incident should not be mistaken for the collapse of a completed bridge.
