Economic activities in the Ayensuano District in the Eastern Region have temporarily come to a standstill following the collapse of three bridges and four culverts linking many communities.

The bridges over rivers such as Obesua collapsed during a heavy downpour, which disrupted transportation and affected goods and services.

The affected communities are all in rural and farming areas such as Amanase Wawase, Aboabo, Aye Kokooso, Agbemehia, Walabenya, Gorje and Ashuasifrom among others.

Bridges in bad state

The bridges, which have been in a bad state for the past four years, collapsed during the recent heavy downpour, leaving many communities cut off from one another, particularly on the Ananase-Aye Kokooso Road.

A hawker using a temporary bridge 

The damage is most severe on the stretch of the road linking towns and villages to key markets, schools, and healthcare facilities.

Such a deplorable situation adversely impacted markets, schools, vehicle movement, and healthcare facilities in the affected towns and villages.

Kwaku Essien, a resident of Amanase, one of the affected communities, expressed deep concern over the situation.

Repairing damaged bridges

He, therefore, called on the government, philanthropists, especially the Ministry of Roads and Highways, to urgently assist the affected communities by repairing the damaged bridges and culverts and restoring normal economic activities.

“We suffer a lot anytime it rains heavily in the area because our bridges are deficient.

“This is a major road that connects many communities, with about 80 per cent of the dwellers, especially drivers, plying the road daily, ” Mr Essien stated.

According to Mr Essien, in the interim, the authorities from the Ayensuano District Assembly should quickly create a bypass to help ease the situation.

He said residents have been struggling for a long time due to the poor road, even before the bridges collapsed, and they now find it even more difficult to ply the road.

Mr Essien urged the government to urgently rebuild the collapsed bridges so farmers, traders, and drivers can easily use those roads.

The farmers and traders in the affected communities lamented how difficult it was for them to carry out their farming activities and businesses because there were no good roads for vehicles to reach their communities.

Economic toll

Richard Lartey, a resident and farmer who expressed his frustration to the Daily Graphic, said that they relied on the road connected to the bridges for their livelihoods and raised concerns about the economic impact the collapsed bridges, as well as the culverts, could have if left unaddressed.

‘’These community roads have not been in good condition, and now the bridges and culverts are broken down, making it difficult for us to ply such roads. Therefore, we appeal to the government to urgently rehabilitate them for us,” he indicated.

He said that in the past, some farmers in the affected areas used the roads to reach their farms despite the dangerous condition of the roads.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ayensuano, Joshua Yaw Frederick Lartey, and officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), visited the affected communities and evaluated the extent of the damage caused.

He said their presence was also to ensure that no life or property was lost due to the collapsed bridges and culverts.

Mr Lartey stated that his team was working closely with relevant stakeholders, such as heads of departments from the assembly, to find a lasting solution to such an unfortunate incident.

He, therefore, appealed to all and sundry, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), philanthropists, and well-to-do Ghanaians, to support and address the situation so that economic activities can return to the communities.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday, January 16, 2025, involved alleged landguards and residents.

According to residents, the landguards have been terrorizing and taking over their lands for years, with all attempts to seek redress proving futile.

Ezekiel Perry, a resident who spoke on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, alleged that the Coaltar chief, Barima Okekrebesi Asiedu II, brought the landguards to the area.

“They were many and came in about six to seven cars alongside motorbikes, wielding guns and cutlasses. The police came in, but after over three hours, they could not restore calm,” Perry said.

Perry disclosed that the deceased was not involved in the chaos but was returning from the toilet when he met his untimely death.

“There was an indiscriminate firing of gunshots, leading to his death and the injuries of many who were rushed to the Coaltar Health Centre and Koforidua,” he narrated.

The body has been deposited at the mortuary, but no arrests have been made yet.

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