- urges NSE, COREN, others to assess newly commissioned facility
By John Dike, Osogbo
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Gubernatorial Campaign Council (GCC) in Osun State has called for calm amid growing concerns over alleged structural defects on the newly commissioned Lameco Flyover in Osogbo, urging that the matter be handled by engineering professionals rather than through political exchanges.
The opposition campaign council also called for an independent engineering assessment of the bridge, saying reports of apparent defects barely weeks after its inauguration warrant a thorough technical investigation in the interest of public safety.
In a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Hon. Nurein Adebisi, the ADC-GCC maintained that infrastructure of such strategic importance should be subjected to rigorous professional evaluation instead of partisan arguments.
According to the council, the reported defects underscore the need for an immediate and comprehensive assessment to determine the structural integrity of the flyover and reassure members of the public about its safety.
The statement read in part: “What we are witnessing is a clear sign that politics and optics have overtaken professionalism in the delivery of a critical public infrastructure. A flyover is a structural asset that carries thousands of lives daily. It must be guided by science, standards and engineering integrity, not by party politics or political sensationalism.”
The ADC said it believes the issue has reached a stage where engineering experts should take over the assessment of the bridge, stressing that public safety must remain the overriding consideration.
To ascertain the condition of the flyover, the party recommended a series of independent technical evaluations, including structural integrity tests to determine the bridge’s load-bearing capacity, deflection and vibration performance under traffic.
It also advocated comprehensive material quality tests covering concrete strength, steel reinforcement and asphalt quality to verify compliance with approved engineering specifications.
The council further recommended a detailed audit of the drainage system and expansion joints to identify any design or construction deficiencies that could result in water accumulation and premature deterioration of the structure.
According to the statement, experts should also compare the completed project with the approved engineering drawings and Bill of Quantities (BOQ) to determine whether construction was carried out in accordance with the approved design and contractual specifications.
The ADC-GCC consequently called on the Osun State chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NISTructE), and other relevant professional bodies to constitute an independent panel to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the flyover.
The council said the panel should be granted unrestricted access to the project site, construction documents and contractors, with a mandate to submit a public report containing its findings and recommendations.
“The government must grant them full access to project documents, the site and contractors without interference,” the statement added.
