Borno’s N4.3 billion flyover poorly done, already cracking – PDP Alleges

Allegations misleading, mischievous, bridge intact – APC

The People Democratic Party (PDP)  has called on the government of Borno state to prioritise quality in the execution of critical public infrastructures as the party said the newly constructed N4.3 billion Customs Flyover was poorly done. 

The PDP said barely a month after the Customs Flyover was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari, the over ridge had begun to crack, an indication that the project was poorly done. 

This allegation was however swiftly denied by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) stressing that the claims were unfounded and political mischief. 

Makita Zarami, the Borno APC Chief publicity secretary denied the claims saying “it was all political lies aimed at deceiving the public”.  

Amos Adziba, the PDP spokesman in Borno state, conveyed his party’s concerns in a statement issued on Friday, January 14 said his party received a series of messages from concerned citizens over the cracks noticed over the bridge. 

“The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Borno Chapter received with dismay calls and messages from concerned citizens of Borno State expressing their concern for public safety and wastage of public funds on substandard projects by the Borno State Government over the years,” the statement reads. 

“It is the responsibility of all citizens, which all our party leadership, members, and all citizens of Borno state to activate vigilance and demand for accountability from Governor Babagana Zulum led administration in the state because vigilance and demand for the supply of good governance is the price we as citizens must pay to safeguard democracy and public safety.

“We, therefore, condemn in total, such poor infrastructure development that aside from wasting huge public funds, portend danger to lives of our citizens playing the routes. As such, we call for swift investigation and professional assessment of the bridge and the entire work and a deeper probe into why such a project would fail this fast.

While we await the findings on the flyover bridge and immediate remedy to salvage public infrastructure, we call on Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to prioritize standards and public interest in the utilization of public funds as PDP in the state is poised to ensure active vigilance on democracy and critical demands of accountability in the state, is completely absent and stand condemnable. 

The opposition party said they want to urgently know “What is the budget allocation supposed to be captured in the state budget and What is the procurement process involved?

” What is the environmental impact analysis? What is the expected lifespan of the bridge? And we need an explanation of why the bridge was closed. It’s our understanding that there are many construction flaws which led to cracks on the first and second bridges”. 

The APC chief publicity secretary said though the party would be issuing a detailed response to the PDP statement he said “what the PDP thought was a flaw or crack was because the contractors putting some finishing touches to the upper bridge that’s why they blocked it and nothing more”.