Ministry debunks report of Fashola, Ngige convoy crashes
By Ibrahim Adeleke
The Ministry of Works and Housing has debunked report that the convoy of Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; and his counterpart in Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, were involved in road crashes in Delta.
Media reports had claimed that the convoy of the trio crashed during the inspection of a bridge in Asaba, Delta State and that four policemen were feared dead as a result of the accident.
Refuting the claim in a statement late Wednesday night, the Minister of Works and Housing said no fatal crash occurred during Tuesday’s inspection of the Second Niger by the Gambari-led Federal Government delegation.
The statement was titled,‘Convoy of FG’s team to Second Niger Bridge not involved in road crash’, and signed by Fashola’s Special Adviser on Communications, Hakeem Bello.
The statement read: “Contrary to the sensational report making the rounds on the social media, the Team which also comprised the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, his Labour and Productivity counterpart, Dr. Chris Ngige and the Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Mr Uche Orji on arrival at the Asaba Airport in Delta State visited the Interchange along Owerri-Onitsha Road and the East approach to the Bridge in Onitsha from where they walked across to the West approach.
“After a media briefing by members of the Team, the Chief of Staff was conducted to the West approach at Asaba and the Toll Plaza of the Bridge before returning to Abuja.
“It was discovered much later that one of the vehicles in the Team of the Commissioner of Police from Anambra State had a mishap during which two policemen sustained injuries. It was confirmed from the Nigeria Police, Anambra State Command that they were treated at the Federal Medical Centre Asaba and had since been discharged.
“The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN, following anxious calls from well-meaning members of the public about the safety of the members of the Federal Government delegation, expresses deep sympathies over the injured two men of the Anambra Police Command.
“However, no lives were lost at all as claimed in the false report by the online platform of a national daily.”
