Chief appeals to government to fix ‘death trap bridges’

The Navio Pio, Pe Adams Kwarase Asongojem Parijei Adrogola II, has called on government to fix two bridges in his community to facilitate free movement of goods and services.

The bridges, which are on the same road, have several defects as one had caved in at the middle, compelling heavy trucks and other vehicles to take detours through farms, while the major bridge constructed several years ago, has some broken and unfastened screws holding portions with visible cracks.

Some portions of the road had been eroded by flash floods which had further narrowed it.

Pe Adrogola II, who made the appeal at a press briefing on the state of the bridges in his community, is also the President of the Buru-Navio Traditional Area in the Kassana-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region.

He described the bridges as “death traps” and said it was the only road in the District that linked Mayoro, Natunia, Sirigu, and Bongo apart from the major highway which linked Burkina Faso.

He said, “We are not even talking about the whole road; we are concerned about the bridges. We record several accident cases as a result of these bridges and we are pleading with the authorities to fix them for us.”

The Chief recalled that “Last month, the Vice President used this road; fortunately for the convoy, the Police motor escort who led the convoy signaled them about the deplorable nature of the bridges so their vehicles took caution, but for that, what do you think would have happened?”

He said a combined team of Police and Military personnel usually on night patrols had complained severally about the poor nature of the road and the bridges.

Pe Adrogola II said “the entire community has decided that we will not vote, or listen to any politician in the coming elections if these bridges are not fixed. For over 20 years, politicians have always promised to fix the road but not a single construction work has ever commenced on this road.”

Mr Thomas Banalogoyeim, immediate past Assembly member of the area, said even though several letters were sent to the Assembly on the nature of the bridges, nothing has been done.

He said community members were aware of the nature of the bridges and so they took caution, but expressed worry about the dangers it posed to first-time users, especially at night, and reiterated the Chief’s plea to government to rehabilitate the road to prevent a complete breakdown of the bridges which would cut off economic activities between the Kassana-Nankana East and West Districts.

When the Ghana News Agency contacted the Mr Gerard Ataogye, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Kassana-Nankana West District about the concerns of the Chief and people of the area, he said the Assembly was aware of the situation and that measures were underway to repair the bridges.

He said the Contractor in charge of that road was working on the Doba-Kologo road, and would soon move to the site to start work on the two bridges before the main road construction.