The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency alongside other response agencies have declared readiness for the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for routine maintenance.

The bridge will be closed from Friday, July 24, 2020, to Sunday, July 24, 2021.

LASEMA spokesperson, Nosa Okunbor, disclosed this after a meeting with stakeholders including the Director-General, LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu; the DG, Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Omojola; and the General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel.

He stated that during the meeting, strategies were mapped out to deploy members of staff and equipment on land and water for the safety of the residents during the period of the partial closure of the bridge.

Okunbor said, “As part of moves, the DG said LASEMA has earmarked Ebute Ero and Ilaje as strategic locations for its ambulances and will mount its rescue boats in conjunction with the Lagos State Waterways Authority, on all waterways of Lagos, while its marine unit will mount a 24-hour watch over the waterways with Jet Skis fully deployed, particularly between the peak periods of 6.30am and 7pm, as a lot more passengers will be advised to travel through alternate routes and the waterways, while the partial closure of Lagos Third Mainland Bridge lasts.”

Okunbor noted that Oke-Osanyintolu in conjunction with Omojola and Emmanuel appealed to Lagos residents to be assured that under the watch of the governor, they could confidently use the Lagos waterways as it is safe.

All boat operators were also advised to abide by the guiding rules that all passengers should be properly registered on the passengers’ manifest, use genuine life jackets, operators must have lifebuoys and ensure they do not ply the waterways beyond 7pm.