The absence of a bridge over a stream connecting the two communities has left residents stranded and farmers unable to transport their produce to market centers.

The situation worsened after recent flooding caused the stream to overflow its banks, cutting off access and endangering lives.

Tragically, the poor condition of the crossing has already led to the death of a pregnant woman, who reportedly struggled to cross the flooded area in search of medical help.

Nana Asiedu Kwotwe appealed to Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the NDC, to fulfill his earlier promise to construct the bridge during a campaign visit.

Residents say the situation has had a severe economic toll, with farm produce going to waste and transport operators avoiding the area due to safety concerns.

They are, therefore, calling on the government, the District Assembly, and relevant state agencies to provide immediate assistance to construct the bridge and develop long-term infrastructure plans

Some expected projects include improved roads and reliable bridges to ensure safe passage and support farmers whose livelihoods have been affected.

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The bridge, which was under construction 10 years ago, has been left in a state of disrepair, disrupting daily activities, affecting education, businesses, and general commuting.

According to the residents, the former NPP Member of Parliament for Ejisu, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, initiated the bridge’s construction but was abandoned after losing the primaries to the late John Kuma.

The residents expressed their frustration, stating that the poor state of the bridge puts their lives at risk during rainfall.

“We face difficulties crossing the bridge with our cocoa bags whenever it rains, and our produce often gets damaged,” they lamented.

Despite producing approximately 300 tons of cocoa for the government, the community’s bridge remains neglected, making life challenging for them.

The residents also highlighted the impact on education, stating that students often drop out of school during the rainy season due to the inability to cross the flooded river.

An opinion leader in the community, Kwabena Nyame, urged the authorities to consider creating an electoral area for them, which would enable them to elect an assembly member to represent them in the Ejisu Assembly for development.

The bridge, which spans the River Asawine, is the only route linking the communities of Asawineso, Adwumam, and Asante Nkae to the neighbouring municipality.

However, the structure has now become a danger to lives and livelihoods, with residents describing it as a death trap.

In interviews with Adom News, the residents expressed frustration and fear as the bridge continues to pose a serious risk.

According to them, the weakened structure hampers movement—especially during emergencies—making it difficult for people to access medical care, schools, markets, and transport routes to deliver their farm produce.

“This bridge connects us to Bibiani where we do business and access hospitals. But its current condition is terrible. We fear it may collapse any moment. We can’t continue risking our lives,” one distressed resident said.

Residents noted that the bridge’s condition worsens during the rainy season, cutting off communities entirely and forcing them to wade through dangerous paths to cross the river.

They have, therefore, appealed to their Member of Parliament, Eric Opoku, and the District Chief Executive, Benjamin Yinkah, to intervene urgently and ensure the construction of a permanent and safer bridge.

The residents insist that a lasting solution will not only improve movement but also boost socio-economic activities across the district and municipality.

According to them, the 85-year-old bridge has become a death trap and urgently needs repair or replacement.

Speaking to Adom News, the residents said the bridge urge the government to prioritize fixing the bridge for them

Drivers and commuters using the Boadua to Kade road said given the current condition of the bridge, a reconstruction is better than temporary repairs.

The residents lamented that the bridge which has been in a dilapidated state for years must be fixed to save lives.

In response to these concerns, the Denkyembour District Assembly Engineer, Davor Wonder, asked residents for patience.

He acknowledged that although he had previously alerted the Ghana Highways Authority about the bridge’s condition, the district lacks the financial resources to build a new bridge.

However, Mr. Davor confirmed that the Ghana Highways Authority and the Assembly have commenced rehabilitation work on the existing structure.

Also, Member of Parliament for the Akwatia constituency, Henry Boakye Yiadom, has  visited the site and pledged to get it fixed.

The bridge has not been fixed after temporary measures that involved filling portions with sand and creating an alternative route connecting the two communities.

Residents and commuters, who ply the road, have raised concerns of danger calling for immediate work to repair the collapsed parts of the bridge.

The bridge, which was destroyed by a downpour in August last year, is still used by some commuters in its dilapidated state while others use the alternative route which takes a relatively longer time.

The bridge links surrounding communities to Nalerigu, the administrative capital of the North East Region.

As the rainy season begins, residents are worried about the state of the bridge, which they fear has turned into a death trap, especially when it rains.

The Assemblyman for the Tinguri Electoral Area, Yidana Iddrissu Bugzuah informed the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the bridge repair work had been delayed despite being assigned to a contractor who had arrived at the site. He explained that the construction of a gutter on a different road, which links Gbani to Kparigu, has obstructed the repair process.

He mentioned that the gutter construction was being handled by a different contractor, and added that work on the Tinguri-Gbani Bridge could not proceed simultaneously.

The Assembly man said “Another issue stalling the process is that the contractor has applied for a meter at Volta River Authority (VRA) to be able to use a machine to bend the rod. VRA has not been quick on this because the contractor has been told that letter for the meter has been sent to Bolga.”

He mentioned that although the road was usable, heavy rainfall could wash off the sand and gravels poured around the remains of the bridge, adding the alternative route would be the only option in that case.

Probing further, the GNA found that no work had begun on the site since the incident happened in August last year.

Residents, who spoke to the GNA, said they had not spotted the contractor on site for a long time.

A steel bridge located at Saikope in the Mepe area, crucial for connecting the North Tongu town, of Juapong, to the Central Tongu capital town, Adidome, has collapsed.

According to reports, the collapse occurred when a fully loaded trailer carrying salt attempted to cross the bridge.

Fortunately, there have been no reported fatalities resulting from the incident.

In response, the District Chief Executive, Osborn Devine Fenu, has issued a public advisory via his personal Facebook Page.

He urges motorists to take an alternate route through another Mepe town, Dadome, to access Adidome and Juapong safely.

Even though investigations are yet to commence into the actual cause of the collapse, the DCE has alleged overloading of the truck, saying The report have it that a fully loaded trailer carrying salt, likely surpassing the recommended maximum load of 25 tonnes, traversed the bridge, resulting in its collapse. Fortunately, the driver and the mate are reported to be safe.

While the DCE’s claim is a possibility, the point needs to be made that long before the collapse of the bridge, authorities had stationed a warning sign, signaling road users of a “weak bridge ahead” of them.

There is also a sign that says the maximum load limit of the bridge is 25 tons.

Until investigations conclude, it will be difficult to say which of the two phenomena has collapsed the bridge – weak bridge or excess tonnage.

Below is the DCD’s update and advisory as shared on his personal Facebook wall:

Urgent Notice

We woke up to the distressing news of another sudden accident— the collapse of the steel bridge at Saikope-Mepe along the Adidome to Juapong Road.

The report have it that a fully loaded trailer carrying salt, likely surpassing the recommended maximum load of 25 tonnes, traversed the bridge, resulting in its collapse. Fortunately, the driver and the mate are reported to be safe.

We have promptly informed all relevant stakeholders to ensure swift action is taken. The urgent need for a new bridge at the location is abundantly clear.

In the interim, we advise all motorists to utilize the diversion via Dadome to Adidome and Juapong.

In times like this, it’s crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved. This is a challenging situation, but we trust in our collective ability to address it effectively.

This too shall pass!

They’re worried about a broken height limit pole designed to warn drivers of the height limit of the under-bridge, which has broken from its original position and is currently standing on the main street.

According to vendors in the area, the wreckage was caused by a towing vehicle that bumped into the pole about three weeks ago, causing the dislocation of part of the edifice to the main road.

Speaking to JoyNews, a vendor who claimed to have witnessed the accident narrated that “it happened about three weeks ago and up to date nobody has come to check to fix it. It was a towing car that came to hit it”.

Due to the hazardous situation, drivers have to carefully maneuver around the obstruction to avoid any crash.

Others drive on the short stretch with fear praying that the remains will not fall on them unexpectedly.

“We are afraid. It’s very dangerous because it’s broken and it needs to be fixed. The cars are passing under it and you don’t know what may happen. Air can blow and it can fall on any car and then it can cause dangerous accidents again. So, the authorities have to come in and check it for us” one user of the road said.

Another driver also said “It is posing danger to traffic and passengers around this area. It’s very dangerous to us. As a citizen of Ghana, we have been in the country for years. There are certain things which need to be corrected and this is one of them.”

Another infuriated road user also expressed his frustration. He said: “Here is a main road and we can’t allow this pillar to be on the road. How? We need to mount it in the right place.

Considering the current state of the damaged height limit pole, it’s only a matter of time before the weakened structure gives way, potentially leading to an incident if no action is taken.

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The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the act of bravery by Vitaly Skakun, who was part of a marine infantry battalion aiming to block the Henichesk bridge in the southern Kherson region.

As the tanks approached, Mr Skakun jumped in to carry out a mission to blow up the bridge.

“The bridge was mined, but he didn’t manage to get away from there,” the military said in a statement.

“According to his brothers in arms, Vitaly got in touch [with them] and said he was going to blow up the bridge. Immediately after an explosion rang out.”

“His heroic act significantly slowed down the push of the enemy, allowing the unit to relocate and organize defense.”

Officials said they were working on awarding Mr Skakun with posthumous honors.

The statement concluded: “Russian invaders, know, under your feet the earth will burn! We will fight as long as we live! And as long as we are alive we will fight!”

Mr Skakun’s bravery came hours before Russian tanks descended on Kyiv as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged residents of the capital city to arm themselves with Molotov cocktails and fight back against the invasion.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the Ukrainian military to seize power in their country and overthrow Mr Zelensky.

US defence officials have said the advancement toward the heart of Kyiv has moved slower than Russia anticipated.

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Inhabitants, drivers and passengers, who use the bridge, have expressed dissatisfaction with the deplorable state of the bridge fences.

According to the Chief of Nsawora-Edumafa community, Nana Kwaku Aduhene, the bridge was built for the community when it was inhabited by few residents, but after the demarcation of the district, other communities have been added to their zone.

Consequently, the lone bridge has become a central route, which has caused it to wear away over time.

According to the chief, several reports have been made to the local authorities, but their cries have been disregarded, a situation he suspects is as a result of the zero casualties recorded.

Speaking to Adom News’ Augustine Boah, some residents disclosed a car plunged into the river two weeks ago, and all efforts to retrieve it has proved futile.

That notwithstanding, they listed a private car, trailers and articulators as part of the vehicles that have suffered similar fate.

The Adentan-Madina Police on Wednesday arraigned about 40 people before the Madina court for failing to use the Adentan-Madina footbridges.

The court charged the offenders for refusing to abide by road traffic regulations.

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A resident, Nana Abbiem, who was in court on Wednesday, disclosed on Adom FMs’s morning show Dwaso Nsem Thursday, that some pedestrians were fined GH¢ 50.00 while others were cautioned.

He said those who were not called during the court proceedings on Wednesday were ordered by the judge to leave their phones with the court and return on Thursday to await their sentence.

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Mr Abbiem said they were conveyed in a police pickup to the court premises and are expected in court on Thursday.

The footbridges were built following a massive demonstration in the area after residents blamed several pedestrian knockdowns on the unavailability of the bridges.

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However, after months of completing the footbridges, Adom News’ Mubarak Yakubu, reporting from the Adentan-Madina highway said some residents were still crossing the highway instead of using the footbridges.

Temporarily, the Ministry in collaboration with the Interior Ministry has requested the Ghana Police Service to deploy officers of the Motor Traffic Unit to prevent further deaths.

A statement from the Inter-Ministerial Committee on road safety issued on Thursday night said government regretted the deaths of residents who had been killed by speeding vehicles.

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The statement further said work had already been ongoing in recent weeks to address the situation and that procurement processes were now near completion.

Contractors working on the project failed to complete work under the Mahama administration due to payment challenges.

As part of efforts to renew work on the project, the Akufo-Addo administration settled 50% of their debt and has been working to get work resumed in November 2018.

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Though official Police records say twenty-four (24) deaths and sixty-four (64) injuries have been recorded on the stretch this year, media reports suggest almost two hundred (200) pedestrians have been killed.

Contractors handed over the project without completing the bridges. The Ministry says it is making frantic efforts to correct the situation and appealed to residents to assist in containing the situation.

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The project commenced in July 2008 and was handed over in June 2018.

Drivers have also been cautioned to observe speed limits while pedestrians have also been encouraged to use the signalized intersections as much as possible.

Drivers using the bridge always try to swerve the exposed joints by veering into the opposite lane, sometimes hitting motor riders and street hawkers.
Some students and pupils from Sogakope, Sokpoe and Tefle, who cross the bridge during weekdays to attend school have also expressed fears about the state of the bridge.
Traders who also do business across the bridge are equally afraid of the situation.
One of them is Helen Dugbenu, a resident of Tefle.“I have  lamented on how young children and youths lost their lives because no one seems to care what happens, “ she said
According to another resident, Maxwell Lukutor, who spoke with Joy News, some pedestrians have lost their lives due to the bad and dilapidated bridge.
He said the situation is so bad that they always live in fear daily as lots of accidents happen there as a result of the problem.
“We want the authorities to come to our aid and fix the bridge as soon possible to avoid more calamities,” Maxwell Lukutor pleaded.
It is the hope of road users and residents of Sogakope that something urgent is done about the situation soon.

They accuse the Urban Roads Department of failing to respond to repeated appeal to repair the structure which has become a death trap.

There are reports three people have drowned in flood water in the last four years because the bridge cannot contain running water whenever it rains.

This is one of the main culvert bridges constructed over the Kwadaso stream.

It is the main outlet for waste and running water from the community and nearby Patasi, Sofo Line and Kwadaso Nsuom.

Soil around the three -culvert bridge which facilitates water flow has been washed away.

Residents who live on the other side of the bridge are compelled to remain in their homes any time it rains until flood waters recede.

“The latest to die here is this young man. He was coming from Kwadaso and it happened that there was light out and the river had over flown its banks , when it over flows, all this place is flooded. So he tried going through it was possible. As he go through, it swept him and we later found him [body] at the other end,” Kwame Asante, a resident revealed.

The condition of the bridge continue to deteriorate, exposing motorists and pedestrians to danger.

Deep cracks in the structure have forced soil under the culverts to cave in, creating crater-like hole beneath the bridge.

A resident, Stephen Awuah says one needs no magician to tell him about the bad condition of the bridge.

“It is gradually dilapidating. You don’t need a magician to tell you so we are appealing to the government to come to our aid.”

For fear of his kids fallen into the stream, he has had to abandon work to help send his two children to school to Kwadaso every day.

His fear is shared by another resident, John Maclean who drives everyday on this life-threatening bridge.

“Every blessed day I use this road but the road is not good. It’s dangerous to our health. It is very, very dangerous,” he complained.

Half of the road at that section becomes unmotorable, amid fears any part of the remaining structure can cave in at any time.

Residents say several appeals to the Urban Roads Department to fix the broken culvert bridge have fallen on deaf ears.

For them the only way to protect life and property is to close the road to use.

“Half of the road is eaten away. We can’t be using this bridge. It has to be pulled down and new one constructed,” says Mr. Asante.

“School children and motorists use this bridge. Those of us who live  close don’t want any more disasters. We have decided to close the bride to traffic to save lives”. Mr Samuel Kwakye, a resident said.

Nana Gyamfi is another resident: ” We will block the road. It is dangerous to use the bridge. There’s  a big hole under the structure. It can pass for a galamsey pit. It can cave in anytime.”

Assemblyman for the area says the bridge has been awarded on contract for reconstruction.

He says work will commence as soon as repairs of a similar bride on the Patasi-Edwinase Road is completed.

Ashanti Regional Director of the Urban Roads Department, Francis Gambrah, confirms the contract award.

Click on attached audio for full report

The victims were in a car below the bridge when it fell down onto the A14 road, which runs between Loreto and Ancona South.

The collapse involved a temporary structure which was supporting the bridge, Autostrade, the Italian highways agency said.

Two Romanian workers were also injured, Italian media reported.

The two people who died were a husband and wife, originally from the province of Ascoli Piceno, whose white Nissan Qashqai was crushed as the bridge came down, Ansa news agency reported.

The bridge had been closed to traffic for maintenance work, it said.

Ansa quoted a witness named Francesco as saying the collapse “happened suddenly” and a female driver in front of him braked and stopped just 10m (33ft) from the collapsed bridge.

“We were saved by a miracle,” he said.

The affected road is now closed in both directions.

source: BBC