It came as a massive relief over the weekend when the Nasarawa State Government debunked reports of the collapse of the main flyover bridge in Lafia, the state capital. According to them the bridge, which was recently commissioned by President Bola Tinubu, cost N16bn.

In a statement, the government said the videos depicting the live crumbling of the bridge was Artificial intelligence, AI-generated. Our reporter also visited the site and confirmed that commuters were using the bridge, as usual.

Construction of flyover bridges has become a major craze among state governors in recent years. They not only provide politicians with excellent contract award opportunities, they also beautify cities, ease traffic flow and signpost “concrete achievements”.

However, some of the flyovers have been found to have been constructed without regard to professional standards. A flyover bridge constructed by the government of Rochas Okorocha in Imo State in Owerri developed cracks even before it was put to use. The government of Governor Emeka Ihedioha enlisted the services of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria, COREN, which confirmed it unusable after assessment.

Many roads and bridges are so poorly constructed that they hardly outlast the governments that build them. The collapse of one of such bridges in Taraba State forced people to transport both humans and cargoes, including cars, across rivers. One of the boats capsized recently, leading to avoidable loss of lives. Also, major cracks on the Keffi Bridge in Nasarawa State which links the Southern and Northern parts of the country, had to be sealed off due to visible structural defects.

Corruption and incompetence are the major reasons behind the collapse of bridges. Governors are often motivated by corrupt selfish interests in the award of contracts and commit only a portion of the earmarked sums to the projects. Once this happens, contractors, procurement and inspection officers also help themselves. The result is a bridge that endangers the people rather than enrich their lives.

There must be accountability in the manner that politicians and government officials spend public funds. Unfortunately, the Houses of Assembly, which the Constitution created as a check on the Executive branch, has also been sucked into the orbit of corruption. Even when governors leave office with expired immunities, there is hardly any institution that still possesses the moral authority to bring them to account.

This corruption is also the major factor that weakens public officers’ authority to flush substandard construction materials from the markets. Everybody in the government offices is only after the money, with little interest on service delivery.

We need free and fair elections to install tested performers in government. Once a leader is above board, everybody down the line will sit up.

The compromise of elections is the foundation for malfeasance, including substandard public amenities.