Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has again appealed to the city dwellers to co-operate during the eight weeks of repairs on the Third Mainland Bridge, the first major one since it was built in 1991.

He also promised to stem flooding which has become a perennial problem.

Mending the bridge would begin on August 2.

Fashola said both the Federal and Lagos State Governments will ensure that the work is completed on schedule with minimal discomfort.

"The success of this job depends on the understanding of the people, their patience and forbearance as this is the only way we can address the fears they have expressed over the safety of the bridge," he added.

Only the section from Ikeja to Lagos will be affected, with traffic diverted from Adekunle junction.

"If you use the Third Mainland bridge very well, you will realise that the traffic going out in the morning to Ikeja is not as heavy as that going to Lagos. We expect people to use other routes like Western Avenue, Eko Bridge and Ikorodu Road in the morning when going to Ikeja instead of the normal Third Mainland Bridge.

"We should all understand why we are doing this. We don't want the bridge to collapse, we don't want lives to be lost. It is as if we are fasting; we have once fasted for 40 days and seven days in this country. We must forbear."

On checking the flood menace, he said: "We will continue to work through the raining season into the dry weather. In some areas where we have finished our work, the communities are benefiting and not experiencing flood, and in areas with some work still to be done, progress are being made.

"All over the world, there is global warming. Last night on CNN, there was very heavy rain in Taiwan which measured about 300 millimetres, and the whole of Taiwan was submerged by the rainfall and not flood."