The Federal Government on Tuesday said ongoing rehabilitation of the Apapa-bound lane of the Marine Bridge near Ijora that collapsed in May would be completed in July.

Recall that the 544 deck-on-pile bridge caved in and was shut on May 17 after investigations revealed that vandals had flared and removed steel components beneath the infrastructure.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mrs Olukorede Keisha told NAN on telephone that the contractor was already on site fixing five panels of the bridge damaged by the vandals.

Keisha said although only one panel collapsed, a total of five were distressed and currently being demolished and rehabilitated simultaneously on alternative stretches.

She explained that after panels one and three were demolished and replaced, two, four, and five would be demolished and recast.

She said that method of reconstruction was being adopted to prevent a total collapse of the bridge,

adding that bridges are usually not continuous but cast in panels.

The Controller added that the repairs would be completed in July.

“It was discovered after inspection that five panels are in critical condition. Work has started with the demolition of alternate panels now. We will demolish panel one then we move to panel number three.

“When they cast one and three, they will come and demolish panel number one and two and four,” she said.

Panels are long stretches of the bridge deck connected by expansion joints.

Speaking on measures against future vandalism, she said a proposal had been made and submitted to dislodge all illegal occupants under bridges.

The Controller said the federal government was going to collaborate with the private sector on how to secure all open spaces underneath bridges to safeguard them.

Commenting on the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reconstruction/rehabilitation project, Keisha said work on the Otedola Bridge section would “be completed this weekend”.

She added that the contractor would therefore move to the Ojodu Berger Section and complete repairs by the end of July, all things being equal.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) handed over an 18-year-old human trafficking victim to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Friday in Kebbi.

“The girl, who is from Oyo State, was arrested on Thursday on her way to Libya via Yauri and Sokoto.

“She said her name is Wasilat Yusuf and she was going to Libya on her sister’s invitation and assurance of a cleaning job.

“She has HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis test results with her.

“She said it was her sister who insisted that she must conduct the tests before leaving for Libya,’’ Comptroller of the NIS in Kebbi, Mrs. Rabi Bashir-Nuhu, said.

She wondered why in spite of all the opportunities that abound in terms of peace and security in Nigeria, anyone would go to Libya to work in spite of the security challenges in that country.

The NIS comptroller assured that it would not allow any suspicious character or person profiting from human trafficking to get through its net in Kebbi.

Wasilat confirmed to newsmen that she was going to Libya to get a cleaning job at her sister’s invitation.

“My sister is Biodun Yusuf, and she is living in Libya and sells clothes there.

“She invited me to come and get a cleaning job there,’’ she said.

Receiving the victim, the Head of Operation of NAPTIP in Kebbi, Alhaji Sadiq Atiku, said the agency would undertake a thorough investigation of the matter.

“We thank the NIS for making our job easier and we are going to investigate thoroughly.

“We are going to rehabilitate and counsel the victim and ensure that she is united with her parents or guardians,’’ he said.

Atiku also commended the NIS for collaborating with NAPTIP to eradicate human trafficking. 

 At least 73 million Filipinos suffer from dental caries, making the disease a “serious health concern” in the Southeast Asian country, the Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday.

“Dental caries is a silent epidemic,” Manuel Vallesteros, a division chief at the DOH’s disease prevention and control bureau, said this after a committee hearing at the House of Representatives.

Vallesteros said the DOH data is based on the 2018 national health survey, noting that the number now is much higher compared to when the COVID-19 pandemic had restricted access to dental services for more than two years.

Merely for illustration…

He noted that eight of 10 Filipino children suffer from “childhood caries” or “decaying baby teeth” because they are fed with sweetened infant formula.

“The oral health status of Filipino children is alarming,” the DOH said, adding the oral disease “continues to be a serious public health problem” in the Philippines.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), dental caries is a major global public health problem and the most widespread non-communicable disease. 

– Xinhua

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