Farmers stage demo over collapsed bridge

Farmers at Okorase Domeabra in the Akwapim North Municipality of Eastern Region have protested to demand the reconstruction of their footbridge linking farmlands and the community.

The bridge's collapse has affected the carting of farm produce to market centres and cut off residents at Korasang in the Suhum municipality.

The farmers, mostly aged, took to a peaceful march on Wednesday, September 8, to press home their demands.

The footbridge linking the Okorase Domeabra and Korasang collapsed three weeks ago.

The bridge was originally constructed for cocoa farmers at Metieam by the Swizz missionaries in 1908.

Maintenance was done, but with time it got weak and has finally collapsed.

The farmers, daily, endure walking miles carrying their farm produce to vantage points.

As a result of the bridge collapse, farmers at Korasang in the Suhum municipality have been cut off from the shorter route.

The farmers cultivate cassava and plantain to feed parts of the Eastern and Greater Accra regions.

Other residents have to travel two miles before they can reach the nearest health centre.

There are also unrecorded deaths of children who fell off the bridge when it was weak.

The farmers want their footbridge reconstructed and roads reshaped for easy access.

"The road is in a poor shape; we need it done well so that we don't incur extra cost paying people to carry our products for us."

Queen-mother of the Okorase Domeabra Nana Oye Asiwaa Apem accused the Akwapim North Member of Parliament, Nana Akua Dokua, of not helping to take action after several letters and dialogue were held with her.

"We have lost kids on the then weak bridge; now, health attendants can't come to us. The cocoa farmers and those who do cassava and plantain from Koransang have been cut off. Women have to travel two miles before they can get healthcare delivery at the Koforidua."

The Okorase Domeabra community was blessed with a train system that helped in carting their foodstuffs years past, but successive governments' inability to maintain the old train system has caused the train lines to be taken over by weeds.

The Assemblymen for the two affected electoral areas said efforts to get the attention of local authorities have not been successful.

They can only keep hoping work will soon commence on the bridge to alleviate their plight.

But until then, they will have to continue trekking miles to cart their food products to market centres.