COREN moves to investigate collapsed Enugu, Kwara bridges

The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Monday, said it would undertake full scale investigations into the root causes of the collapsed bridges in Enugu and Kwara states.

Blueprint recalls that a section of a pedestrian bridge near Garki market on Agbani road dual carriage, Enugu South local government area in Enugu state collapsed on June 12, 2020.

A day after, Oko-erin bridge, in Ilorin, Kwara state, also collapsed after a heavy downfall and about four persons reportedly lost their lives.

COREN in a statement issued by its Registrar, Prof. Joseph O. Odigure, in Abuja, said it had visited the site of the recent collapse bridge in Enugu state and interacted with relevant stakeholders in the project.

The council said it would undertake a full scale investigation into the root cause of the collapse.

On Kwara collapsed bridge, COREN said the development calls for the need to regularly ascertain the integrity of engineering infrastructure in Nigeria.  

To this end, it disclosed that it would soon inaugurate national and state technical committees on engineering regulation monitoring.

The council, however, called on the state governors, institutions and professional bodies in the engineering field to nominate their representatives that would serve on the committee.

The statement said: “Disturbed by the incessant cases of building collapses across the country, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has visited the site of the recent collapse in Enugu state where the Scaffold Framework of a section of a pedestrian bridge on Agbani road dual carriage, Enugu South local government area in Enugu state, caved in at the early hours of Friday, June 12, 2020.

“In line with the mandate of COREN, the Council having carried out an on the Spot assessment of the site of the collapse and interacted with the representatives of other relevant professional bodies, will undertake a full scale investigation into the root cause of the collapse.

“The recent collapse of a bridge in Kwara state after a heavy downpour also brings to mind the need to regularly ascertain the integrity of Engineering infrastructure in Nigeria.

“COREN is in the process of inaugurating national and state technical committees on Engineering Regulation Monitoring. Therefore, states’ governors, institutions, and professional bodies in engineering practice, Immigration Service and the Police are hereby put on notice to quickly nominate their representatives as already requested by COREN.”

Leave a Reply