A major bridge linking several communities in the Atwima Mponua District in the Ashanti Region has been ordered to be closed due to its deteriorating condition.
Roads and Highways Minister, Governs Kwame Agbodza, issued the order for its closure.
Due to the bridge’s worsening condition, motorists, especially farmers hauling produce from Kotokuom and nearby rural areas to urban centers, now face a serious safety risk.
The bridge, situated over the Offin River, has been severely damaged by the constant passage of heavy trucks. As a result, the metal beams have weakened, large cracks have formed on the surface, and the supporting pillars are breaking down. Despite repeated requests from local residents for repairs, their appeals went largely ignored until they turned to social media, highlighting the critical state of the bridge and calling for immediate intervention.
This online movement caught the attention of President John Dramani Mahama, who promptly directed Roads and Highways Minister, Governs Kwame Agbodza, to visit the site and take swift action. With engineers from the Ministry by his side, the Minister announced that the bridge was now in the hands of contractors, who will begin repairs immediately.
In the interim, the Ashanti Regional Security Council has advised drivers to use alternative routes while the bridge is being worked on.
Drone footage captured workers and heavy machinery clearing mud from a bridge and road near the Spanish town of Torrent, close to Valencia, as reconstruction efforts begin following devastating flash floods.
The bridge was directly in the path of a massive surge of muddy water and debris on Tuesday, October 29, that severely impacted the region.
The deadliest flash floods in Spain’s modern history have claimed the lives of at least 214 people, with dozens still missing, authorities reported on Saturday, November 2. In response, the government is deploying an additional 5,000 troops to assist with searches and clean-up, adding to the 2,500 soldiers already on site.
Valencian authorities confirmed a total of 211 fatalities within the region, with two additional deaths in Castilla La Mancha and one in Andalusia, making this Europe’s worst flood-related disaster since the Portuguese floods of 1967.
A man believed to be in his early 60s sadly lost his life after reportedly leaping from the Lower Volta bridge on the ECOWAS highway near Sokpoe in the South Tongu District.
The incident happened at approximately 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 28, 2024. His identity has yet to be confirmed, and his body was transferred to the Sogakope District Hospital Mortuary after residents informed the Sogakope District police.
Eyewitnesses shared with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that this marked the third such incident they have observed in the last three years. They recounted seeing the man get off a commercial motorcycle at Sokpoe, proceed to the bridge, and then jump into the river.
“We thought he had forgotten something and wanted to go back for it, but he jumped into the river before we could intervene,” an eyewitness who gave his name as Godwin revealed.
Witnesses added that nearby fishermen, who saw the incident, responded quickly in an attempt to save the man, but he was found dead.
Edmund Fingeroo Dickah, Assembly Member for the Sokpoe Electoral Area, confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), stating that the deceased was unfamiliar to locals in the area. No reports have been received of a missing person matching his description.
Mr Dickah mentioned that a small amount of money and a handkerchief were found in the man’s pockets. Eyewitnesses also reported that he had a male handbag before jumping into the river, but it was missing when his body was retrieved.
“The deceased wore a blue-black kaftan and a necklace, appearing well-dressed and responsible,” he said.
Mr Dickah appealed to the public to come forward with any information that might help identify the deceased or locate his family.
The collapse of the only bridge linking Enchi and Elubo over the Boin River at Boinso in the Aowin Municipality has left residents and travelers stranded, creating significant disruptions to daily commute and transportation of goods in the area.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday morning, has isolated Boinso and other communities from surrounding areas, critically impacting local businesses and access to essential services. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
Residents expressed their frustration over the collapse, highlighting that the bridge had been in a dilapidated state for years without any repair efforts.
Chief Nana Kwadwo Miah III of Boinso appealed to authorities for immediate intervention to restore the bridge and ensure the safety and convenience of the affected communities.
He emphasized that the bridge is vital for accessing schools, markets, and healthcare services, underscoring the urgent need for its repair to accelerate socio-economic development in the area.
The collapse of this crucial bridge underscores the need for proactive maintenance of infrastructure to prevent such disruptions and ensure the safety and well-being of communities.
Residents of Gomoa Manfam in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region have declared their intention to boycott the upcoming December poses.
This decision they say is due to the absence of a bridge, which poses a significant threat to their lives.
They highlighted that the entire area faces flooding during rainy seasons due to the lack of a bridge over a stream in the community, making the road impassable and leaving residents and commuters stranded.
This critical road connects the Gomoa township to Senya Bereku.
Voicing their concerns on People’s Forum, a segment on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Thursday, residents expressed feeling neglected by the government.
They emphasized the need for the government to prioritize their community’s development and address essential infrastructure projects, especially in the lead-up to elections.
“We pay taxes to the government, but we have been left out of development. No proper roads, bridges, schools, hospitals or potable water. Are we not also Ghanaians?” a resident questioned.
Another stressed that, if the bridge particularly is not constructed, “we do not want to see even ballot boxes here because we will not vote for anybody in the upcoming election.”
Another resident emphasized that if the bridge is not constructed promptly, they will refuse to participate in the upcoming election, stating, “We do not want to see even ballot boxes here because we will not vote for anybody.”
The Assemblyman for the area, Lawrence Asihene, echoed the residents’ concerns, describing the bridge issue as his greatest challenge. Despite his efforts, including raising the issue with relevant stakeholders and writing multiple letters, no positive outcome has been achieved yet.
Mr Asihene assured the community that he is actively working towards resolving the issue and bringing relief to the residents.
“I have brought officials from CODA here and about three weeks ago, I came here with former MP, Kojo Asomani to witness the situation. I want to assure my people relief will soon come,” he said.
A small boat pulled a fuel barge through a different path to avoid the broken bridge in Baltimore. The bridge had blocked the main route for ships in the important port.
The boat bringing fuel to the Department of Defense left on Monday and is heading to Delaware’s Dover Air Force Base. The temporary channel is mostly for boats helping with the cleanup. Some ships that have been stuck in the Port of Baltimore since the collapse are also set to go through the channel.
Authorities are making a new channel on the southwest side of the main channel. It will be deeper to allow bigger boats to pass through. But they haven’t said when it will be ready.
The leader of the state. On Tuesday, Wes Moore will visit a center the Small Business Administration opened to help businesses get loans after the bridge collapse. This will assist businesses with their losses.
In Annapolis, there will be a meeting on Tuesday to talk about a new law that will use state money to help port workers who lost their jobs because of the bridge collapse. Politicians are trying to make the bill into a law before their session ends next Monday.
Workers are removing metal and concrete from the bridge that collapsed after a ship crashed into it. On Sunday, people who can swim went underwater to look at parts of the bridge and the ship, and workers in tall machines used lights to cut the twisted steel above the water.
Experts think that six workers fell to their deaths when the building collapsed. They found the bodies of two workers last week. Two more workers lived.
Moore, who is a Democrat, said at a news conference on Monday afternoon that his main focus is finding the four bodies that are still missing, and then making the shipping channels open again. He said he knows it’s important but there are big risks. The workers said the broken steel beams from the collapsed bridge look like a mess.
“Things are turning out to be more difficult than we expected at first,” said Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath of the US Coast Guard.
At the moment, the ship is not moving, and its 21 crew members are still on board, according to officials.
The bridge collapsed when the cargo ship Dali lost power on March 26, soon after leaving Baltimore on its way to Sri Lanka. The ship sent out a distress signal, and the police stopped traffic, but they couldn’t save the roadwork crew working on the bridge.
The Dali is run by Synergy Marine Group and owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. , both from Singapore. Maersk, a big shipping company from Denmark, rented the Dali.
Synergy and Grace Ocean asked a court on Monday to protect them from being responsible for legal issues related to US maritime law. It’s a normal thing to do, but it’s important for their case. A court in Maryland will make the final decision on who is responsible and how much they have to pay.
The document wants to limit the amount of money the companies can be held responsible for to around US$43. 6It is believed that the ship is worth as much as $90 million, and it was supposed to receive more than $1. 1 million for carrying cargo. The estimate takes away two big expenses: at least $28 million for repairs and at least $19. 5 million for salvaging.
Officials are figuring out how to fix the big bridge, which was finished in 1977. It went around part of Baltimore and showed the city’s strong working-class and maritime traditions.
Congress will think about giving money to help people who lose their jobs or businesses because the Port of Baltimore is closed for a long time. The port deals with more cars and farming tools than any other place in the US.
In Takoradi, the bridge connecting Takoradi and Agona in Ewusiejo, is on the brink of collapse.
The current challenge was made public by Ghanaian blogger, Kobby Kyei, who is distraught by the happenings.
In the video shared by the blogger, one can see the crumbling bridge. With regards to the bridge, the metal rods are exposed, and the cement bar on a portion of the bridge is loose.
He notes that the Ghana Highway Authority stands as a beacon of hope, tasked with the urgent responsibility of addressing this pressing issue.
According to some X users who have reacted to the video, the sad state of the bridge “caused a one week traffic and made people travel from Takoradi to Agona on foot if you don’t have money for okada.”
Its deteriorating state poses a formidable challenge to both drivers and pedestrians alike, casting a shadow of uncertainty over their daily commute.
#ATTENTION ||| Ewusiejo, a suburb in Takoradi, reflects the impact of galamsey with a deteriorating bridge causing challenges for both drivers and pedestrians.
It’s heartbreaking, particularly considering the region’s abundant resources such as oil, gold, and Numerous natural… pic.twitter.com/dxGH3VRYt2
The 650-meter Lower Volta Bridge, or Sogakope Bridge, links Sogakope and Sokpoe.
Before President Nkrumah inaugurated Ghana’s longest bridge in 1964, residents and travelers depended on a ferry for commuting.
The bridge promoted commerce and easy travel, enhancing the local economy.
Despite Nkrumah’s overthrow in 1966, General J.A. Ankrah opened the bridge in 1967.
In a video posted by Ghana Facts and History and sighted by GhanaWeb Business, it said, “Footage of Kwame Nkrumah as he turned the first sod to initiate the construction of the Lower volta bridge in 1964 which will link Tefle and Sogakofe and the official opening of the bridge (1967) by General J. A. Ankrah, chairman of the NLC, since Nkrumah was overthrown in 1966. Before, The volta river was crossed by a ferry.”
The construction of the Sogakope Bridge commenced in January 1965, concluding in January 1967.
The Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly is partnering with the Department of Urban Roads to repair a bridge that collapsed at the Akweteman Pentecost Church during last Friday’s, heavy rainfall.
This bridge’s partial collapse significantly contributed to the extensive flooding in the area.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Okaikwei North, Boye Laryea, in an interview with the media explained that a new and improved bridge is anticipated to be completed within a month.
“Yesterday we gave the Urban Roads a full report of what has happened. So there and then they also followed it up and came and realized that something quickly has to be done. So yesterday the instruction was that we close that route and they started working on the drawings because according to them they need to change the whole architecture of that place. So we have made an alternative route. So I am sure that by Thursday, the drawings will be ready for work to commence,” he stated.
In the meantime, the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMeT) has issued a warning that whenever rainfall exceeds 50 millimeters in the capital city, Accra, flooding is likely to occur.
This advisory follows the heavy rainfall experienced last Friday, which resulted in extensive flooding in various parts of Accra.
Areas such as the Tema Motorway, Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Kaneshie, North Kaneshie, Alajo, Adabraka, Accra Central, Tema, Tema station-Accra, Osu, and others were severely affected by nearly an hour of intense rainfall. The flooding led to the submersion of many homes and vehicles, overflowed drainage systems, and exacerbated road potholes.
Joseph Portuphy, the Head of Forecasting at the GMeT, explained during an interview with the media that the recorded rainfall during the event was 78 millimeters, which explained the widespread flooding in the city.
“If we have a rain above 50 millimetres within two to three hours Accra will be flooded and that was what happened,” he stated.
He cautioned that Accra would encounter difficulties whenever rainfall exceeded the threshold of 50 millimeters.
After a bus slid off a bridge and into a gorge, at least ten people died.
When the bus plunged off the bridge and into a gorge in the Himalayas on Tuesday, it was transporting Hindu pilgrims to a shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Police in the area said the bus was overcrowded and that the crash also left 55 other people hurt.
When it crashed into the canyon outside Jammu, the bus was heading from Amritsar in the northern state of Punjab towards Katra.
A crane was used to retrieve the crumpled bus from the gorge, watched by a crowd of onlookers.
They were visiting the shrine of Vaishno Devi, which is highly revered by Hindus and sees hundreds of thousands of people visit every year.
Police officer Chandan Kohli said the dead were from India’s Bihar state, but individuals have not yet been named publicly.
India has some of the highest road death rates in the world, with thousands of people killed and injured annually.
Most crashes are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and old vehicles.
A large fire on the only crossing between the occupied Crimean peninsula and Russiawas caused by a lorry explosion, Russian officials say.
A blast on the road section led to oil tankers on the rail section catching fire, before the road collapsed.
Crimea was annexed in 2014 by Russia, which now uses the Kerch bridge to move military equipment into Ukraine.
The official Twitter account of the Ukraine government responded to the fire by tweeting: “Sick burn.”
An adviser to Ukraine’s President Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, called the damage a “beginning” – but did not directly claim Ukrainian responsibility.
“Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled,” he tweeted.
A still picture of the bridge was shared by Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak
Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) said: “At 06:07 Moscow time today [03:07 GMT], an explosion was set off at a cargo vehicle on the motorway part of the Crimean bridge on the side of the Taman peninsula, which set fire to seven fuel tanks of a train that was en route to the Crimean peninsula.
“Two motorway sections of the bridge partially collapsed.”
Crimean parliamentary speaker Vladimir Kontantinov blamed the explosion on “Ukrainian vandals, who have finally managed to reach their bloody hands to the Crimean bridge”.
He added the damage to the bridge would be “promptly restored, since it is not of a serious nature”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed about the “emergency” on the bridge and has ordered a government inquiry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, in comments quoted by Interfax news agency.
Media caption, The $3.7bn (£2.7bn) bridge links southern Russia with the territory it annexed in 2014 (2018 report)
The 19km (12-mile) bridge across the Kerch Strait was opened by President Vladimir Putin in 2018, four years after Moscow illegally annexed Crimea.
It is said to be a key target for Ukrainian forces who have been attacking Russian logistics.
The crossing is more than 100 miles from Ukrainian-held territory. One explosives expert told the BBC said the fire was probably not caused by a missile.
“The lack of obvious blast / fragmentation damage on the road surface suggests that an air-delivered weapon was not used,” he said
He said it was possible that “a well-planned attack from below may have been the cause”.
“I suspect explosives on the road bridge and train deck were initiated near simultaneously using coded radio command,” he said.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburghreturned to the Forth RoadBridge 50 years after officially opening it.
Queen Elizabeth II will leave her beloved Balmoralfor the final time on Sunday and take a journey that will stir memories of her life of service.
Her cortege will wend its way through villages and towns she knew well. It will skirt cities where she opened hospitals, congratulated business leaders, met schoolchildren and greeted well-wishers.
As well as the villages of Aberdeenshire, where she was considered a neighbour as much as a monarch, it will travel through Aberdeen, then south through Angus, Dundee, Perth and Fife.
Symbolically, Her Majesty’s coffin will be taken over Queensferry Crossing – a structure she opened in 2017.
Along this journey to her final resting place will be the visible signs of the role she played in shaping modern Scotland.
Royal Deeside – Church and community
Image source, Getty ImagesThe late Queen marked the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War One at Crathie Kirk in August 2014.
When the Royal cortege leaves Balmoral it will pass close to Crathie Kirk – the church where the Royal family have worshipped since Queen Victoria in 1848.
It was an important place to Queen Elizabeth, a woman of great faith. Just last weekend she hosted the Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
He said she was “obviously frail…[but] absolutely on the ball”, adding that she was “very much very engaged with what was happening in the church and what was happening in the nation too”.
Image source, PA MediaThe late Queen spoke to the local butchers in Ballater before unveiling a plaque marking a Diamond Jubilee cairn in September 2012
It was also a link to the local community, which included the nearby village of Ballater, where she was considered a local by many.
After flooding caused millions of pounds worth of damage in 2015, the late Queen later met residents affected in an official visit and praised local efforts to recover.
Aberdeen and Dundee – Industry and innovation
Image source, PA ArchiveQueen Elizabeth II launched the flow of oil from the Forties Field in the North Sea to BP’s Grangemouth refinery
The coffin will be driven along the A93 towards Aberdeen, before turning south and crossing the King George VI bridge, named after her father.
The city was the focus of many trips by the Queen. It was where she opened a children’s hospital in 2005 and hosted a special sitting of the Scottish Parliament in 2002.
But it was perhaps her actions in Dyce in 1975 which had the most profound effect on the city – she pressed a gold-plated button which formally began the operation of the UK’s first oil pipeline.
The 130-mile pipeline from Cruden Bay to Grangemouth served the Forties oilfield 110 miles east of Aberdeen.
It marked the beginning of a North Sea oil industry which brought thousands of new jobs and great prosperity to the north-east of Scotland.
Image source, PA MediaShe met apprentices at the Michelin tyre factory in Dundee in 2016
Heading south on the A90, the coffin will take the Kingsway – designed to commemorate Edward VII – through Dundee.
During a trip to the city in 2016, the Queen met apprentices at the Michelin tyre factory’s training school and workshop.
However, two years later the company announced the closure of the site, with the loss of 850 jobs.
More than 300 million tyres had been produced in the plant, which opened in 1971. It finally closed in June 2020 and is now an “innovation centre”.
Angus – Childhood memories
Image source, Getty ImagesQueen Elizabeth (centre) was with her parents and cousin at Glamis Castle in 1931 to celebrate her grandparents’ golden wedding anniversary
Between Aberdeen and Dundee, the Royal coffin will travel along the A90, skirting the Angus town of Forfar.
Nearby is Glamis Castle, the ancestral home of the late Queen’s maternal grandparents and a place where she is said to have spent many happy childhood holidays.
It was where her parents honeymooned and where her mother, Queen Elizabeth, gave birth to her sister, Princess Margaret in 1930.
Image source, Getty ImagesPrince William – now the Prince of Wales – graduated with a degree in geography
Past Perth, the coffin will travel through Fife – a short hop from St Andrews where the late Queen’s grandson William went to university and met his future wife, Catherine.
She joined Prince Philip, her son Charles and his wife, Camilla, at the graduation ceremony in June 2005.
Fife – Naming ships and opening bridges
Image source, PA MediaThe Queen was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh as she named the Royal Navy’s biggest ever ship
As the coffin reaches the most southerly point of Fife, it will pass Rosyth where the UK’s largest warship was officially named in her honour, in June 2014.
She smashed a bottle of whisky against the side of the aircraft carrier at Rosyth dockyard.
Six UK shipyards, and more than 10,000 people at more than 100 companies worked on HMS Queen Elizabeth.
It entered service in 2020 and is now the Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship.
Image source, PA MediaNicola Sturgeon looked on as the late Queen cut the ribbon on the Queensferry Crossing
The late Queen opened two bridges across the Forth during her 70 year reign – the Forth Road Bridge in 1964, and the Queensferry Crossing in August 2017.
Her coffin will cross the new Queensferry Crossing, linking Fife to Edinburgh.
She returned to the Forth Road Bridge in 2014 to mark its 50th anniversary and was back just three years later to cut the ribbon on its £1.35bn replacement.
Queen Elizabeth II said the Queensferry Crossing, the UK’s tallest bridge, was a “breath-taking sight” and one of three “magnificent structures” across the Forth.
Edinburgh – A new parliament
Image source, PA
At the end of its journey, the Royal coffin will be taken to the Palace of Holyroodhouse – the Royal residence opposite the Scottish Parliament building.
In a speech to MSPs she acknowledged the construction’s “difficult and controversial birth” and urged them to make Holyrood a “landmark of 21st century democracy”.
She returned in October last year to open the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood despite some Covid restrictions still being in place.
Image source, ReutersThe leaders of the main political parties in Scotland greeted The Queen before the ceremony last year.
In a speech in the debating chamber, she paid tribute to those who made an “extraordinary contribution” during the pandemic.
And she spoke of her happy memories of Scotland and her “deep and abiding affection for this wonderful country”.
“It is often said that it is the people that make a place and there are few places where this is truer than it is in Scotland.”
The Busunu-Tachali Bridge that links Busunu and Daboya in the Savannah Region remains inaccessible days after the torrential rains in the area.
Although the floodwaters from the Tachali River that submerged the bridge have receded, vehicles still cannot use the bridge because a portion of the road that was washed away has not been fixed.
An accident occurred close to the bridge last Saturday evening when a truck fell on its side as the driver attempted to drive across the bridge from the Busunu side of the road to Daboya.
Appeal
Some residents of the area have, consequently, appealed to the authorities to repair the road to ensure the smooth and safe transportation of goods and people.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the residents said they were going through unbearable difficulties, and that only a quick response to their appeal to fix the road would save the situation.
Accident scene
The Savannah Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Mohammed Tohiru, told the Daily Graphic that it was dangerous for vehicles to use the bridge.
“As you can see, vehicles cannot use the bridge and we cannot also use a canoe to cross the river due to the level of the water,” Mr Tohiru, who was present at the scene of the accident, said.
He added his voice to the appeal by the residents for the road to be fixed, as a matter of urgency, to enable safe passage for vehicles on the bridge.
He further called for the re-engineering of the road that connected the Busunu-Tachali Bridge to forestall a recurrence of the present situation.
He said the Lingbisi-Bisa, Magnori-Murugu and Busunu-Tachali roads remained inaccessible.
Besides, the Tamale-Daboya road also remained permanently inaccessible because there was no bridge on the White Volta at Daboya, he added.
The government has made a promise to construct a bridge over the White Volta at Daboya to create an alternative route from Tamale through Daboya to the southern part of the country, but work is yet to begin.
Apart from the Daboya Bridge, the government has also made a commitment to construct two new bridges to replace the Buipe and the Yapei bridges over the Black Volta and the White Volta, respectively, in the Central Gonja district.
The construction of the bridges will provide smooth access from the Savannah, Northern, North East and Upper East regions to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Residents of Akyem Osino and Akyem Saaman in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region have been cut off following the collapse of a bridge over River Akusu.
The collapsed bridge was connecting three farming Communities -Akyem Osino, Saaman and Juaso communities.
Vehicles and pedestrians are no longer able to commute on the road due to the collapsed bridge.
An improvised road is, however, being created by the residents through the bush.
Fear of the residents who are predominantly peasant farmers is that their farm produce may rot if the bridge is not urgently constructed.
Meanwhile, residents are blaming heavy-duty vehicles of mining companies operating in the area for the collapse of the bridge.
Work is to start on two new bridges over the Black Volta at Buipe and the White Volta at Yapei, both in the Central Gonja District in the Savannah Region.
The two bridges will replace existing ones, while a third one is to be built at Daboya to serve as an alternative route from the north to the south.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwesi Amoako Atta, who announced this at a press conference in Tamale yesterday, said the contractor for the two bridges had moved to site to commence work.
Funding
The minister said funding had also been secured for the projects from a German development banking group, the KfW Group, estimated at about $68 million.
Mr Amoako Atta said the bridges would be constructed beside the existing ones to allow for the free flow of traffic, while work was going on along that stretch.
“These bridges are of economic and social importance not only to Ghana but also our landlocked neighbours,†he said.
He said the project had become necessary because the two existing ones that were constructed in the 1960s had outlived their lifespan.
In November 2017, the Buipe and the Yapei bridges were closed to vehicular traffic for maintenance.
The closure lasted for over a month and created inconvenience for commuters on that portion of the highway.
Ongoing works
On ongoing road infrastructure works in the Northern Region, Mr Amoako Atta said 65 projects which were under construction were at various stages of completion.
They included the 52-km Gushegu-Nalerigu road, the 57.8-km River Bank-Nakpali-Zabzugu road, the 10-km Kumbungu-Tolon road, the 73-km Salaga-Bimbilla road and the 45.3-km Salaga-Ekumdipe-Kpandai road.
He said 66km of roads in the Tamale metropolis and the Sagnarigu municipality had also been overlaid with bitumen, while 40km of roads within the metropolis would also be asphalted.
On the Tamale Interchange project, the minister said about 40 per cent of work had been completed.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako Atta, has revealed that the construction of two new bridges for Yapei and Buipe has commenced.
The two new bridges are estimated to cost Ghana $68 million.
According to the minister, the contractors have moved to the site and works have started.
He however indicated that the new bridges will be constructed at different locations in the two areas, adding that the old bridges will not be demolished.
“There will be no interruption of vehicular movement of people and goods because the existing bridges will be maintained, †he said.
The roads minister was optimistic that the new bridges, when completed, will promote economic development for the country.
He made this known when he addressed journalists in Tamale after touring the region to inspect ongoing road projects.
In 2017, there was some repair works on the Buipe-Yapei bridges after it was closed down.
The bridge was closed to vehicles due to its poor state, making it unsafe for travelers to use them.
About GH¢4 million was used to repair the bridge which is over 54 years.
Residents of Chorkor, Chemuenaa, Shiabu, and its environs have rejected claims that they deliberately destroyed a bridge in the community.
The floating bridge which was recently constructed by the MP of the area, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful to facilitate the easy movement of the people across the Chemu canal connecting Chorkor to Shiabu in Accra was washed away by the heavy downpour on Sunday, April 26.
Speaking to pressmen in Parliament on Thursday, the MP who doubles as Minister of Communications bemoaned why some members of the community would actually plot to destroy the bridge which was serving the needs of the whole community just for their own parochial interest.
“It was some miscreants living in the community who tampered with the bridge leading to its collapse. It is not as a result of the flood as has been suggested by some people. The people who are making money from the people from their tolled bridges know something about this issue,†she lamented.
But responding to the allegations, residents say it was unfortunate for the MP to have claimed that the bridge was deliberately destroyed.
The residents who vented their anger in a report by Ablade TV said it makes no sense for them to destroy something that was serving them.
â€We have stayed in Chorkor Chemuenaa and Shiabu since childhood. We know too well the stream, oftentimes cars carry away several things like vehicles and kiosks. I, therefore, wondered about the type of bridge constructed, which as it were looked like a canopy walkway,†a resident said.
â€Your social standing should not be a basis to treat people with malice. Claiming the bridge was deliberately destroyed is an affront to us,†another resident said.
Another resident in the report said, â€Are we insane to destroy a bridge that easily facilitates our movement to and fro the community? There is a video of how the bridge was washed away. Has the minister not seen it yet? It was caused by rubbish. If funds meant for a better project were misappropriated, she should come clear.â€
Prince-Derek Adjei, a former Deputy Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the National Youth Authority has invented a sarcastic proverb believed to be directed at Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma West constituency and Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.
Following the collapse of a bridge, which had empty barrels under it, constructed by Ms Owusu-Ekuful across the Chemu Lagoon, Prince-Derek Adjei wrote: “when an †empty barrel†builds a Bridge with empty barrels, it floats away noisily with the Borla when it rainsâ€.
He described it as a Chorkor proverb but many on social media deduced that the words were meant for Ms Owusu-Ekuful who is in the news over the broken bridge.
Meanwhile Ms Owusu-Ekuful has attributed the collapse of the bridge to saboteurs who, she says, tampered with the bridge leading to its collapse upon the fall of the rains.
“When nation wreckers deliberately destroy a bridge meant to alleviate the suffering of many, you can only wonder what kind of people we are. For the commentators and media houses who blamed me, God have mercy on you,†she wrote on social media in the aftermath of collapse.
In the same vein, contractors, the River Restoration Limited, who executed the project, blamed the collapse on deliberately loosening of ropes that anchored the bridge to some concrete cast for strength.
“Some persons deliberately went and loosened the end ropes anchoring the concrete cast, which made the bridge shift from its original location, “Frank Ofori, an Engineer with the company asserted.
Meanwhile the Chief Executive Officer of the Coastal Development Authority, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has lodged a complaint with the police to investigate the alleged sabotage of the bridge leading to its collapse.
Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has claimed vindication over the collapsed floating bridge she constructed over the Chemu Lagoon.
This comes after critics blamed her for a poor work done after gushing waters from a heavy rainfall which occurred on April 26, 2020, washed away the newly constructed bridge.
An Engineer with the River Restoration Limited, however, blamed residents for the collapse stating that they deliberately untied ropes anchoring the floating bridge on Chemu Lagoon at Chorkor.
According to Frank Ofori, “Some persons deliberately went and loosened the end rope anchoring the concrete cast, which made the bridge shift from its original location. The bridge is not broken.â€
He further narrated in an interview that, when the team got there, they observed that parts of the bridge were dismantled and the barrels, taken away.
“I have the pictures and videos showing some residents were jubilating when the bridge was washed to another side. It is sad and surprising that people will sit and hatch such a plan because of reason best known to them. This is unpatriotic and must stop,†he said.
Following the assertions by Frank Ofori, the Communications Minister took to Twitter to register her innocence referring to the perpetrators as “nation wreckers.â€
She also lashed out at the media for ‘wrongfully’ blaming her for the poor construction of the bridge three months ago.
Ursula Owusu tweeted, “When nation wreckers deliberately destroy a bridge meant to alleviate the suffering of many, you can only wonder what kind of people we are. For the commentators and media houses who blamed me, God have mercy on you.â€
Below is Ursula Owusu’s tweet
When nation wreckers deliberately destroy a bridge meant to alleviate the suffering of many, you can only wonder what kind of people we are. For the commentators and media houses who blamed me, God have mercy on you https://t.co/9TMm2ZXCmT@Joy997FM@Starr1035Fm@Citi973
Mr Frank Ofori of River Restoration Limited has stated that residents deliberately untied ropes anchoring the floating bridge on Chemu Lagoon at Chorkor.
He said preliminary assessment done indicated that, “Some persons deliberately went and loosened the end rope anchoring the concrete cast, which made the bridge shift from its original location. The bridge is not broken,†he said.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, on Thursday, Mr Ofori said the bridge was built to withstand strong pressure due to the use of empty barrels, which made it float at all times.
He recalled that on Sunday, April 26, he received a call from one of the residents that the bridge had collapsed which his team followed up to the site.
Mr Ofori narrated that, when the team got there, they observed that parts of the bridge were dismantled and the barrels taken away.
“I have the pictures and videos showing some residents were jubilating when the bridge was washed to another side. It is sad and surprising that people will sit and hatch such a plan because of reason best known to them. This is unpatriotic and must stop,†he said.
“Prior to the building of the floating bridge some youth earlier built a makeshift one and charged 20 pesewas per crossing. Those behind that activity raised objection in the initial stage and I do not want to believe they are behind this.â€
Mr Ofori said acts such as that impeded development and that such indiscipline behaviours would not propel progress adding that the bridge was blocking plastic waste from entering the sea allowing only water to enter.
He stated that similar bridges were built to facilitate the movement of persons on Rivers Offin, Ankobra, and Pra, which were still in good shape serving their purpose.
“The one on Chemu is the fourth and last one and I was surprised when I got the news that it was broken and washed away. The first one, which was built on River Offin is more than a year now and it is able to withstand high-water currents. It is the same thing we built here,†he said.
Mr Ofori explained that the bridge was constructed by joining rectangular wood strips, strapped to one another in a sequence, over a number of empty barrels fitted together firmly with steel round pipe rails to prevent it from falling over.
The empty barrels, he added provided the bridge with a floating ability to ensure that any time the lagoon overflowed its banks, the bridge automatically rose or floated and returned to its current position when the floods subsided.
Residents of SCC in the Ga South Municipality of Accra are lamenting over an uncompleted bridge that links the area to Ayigbe Town.
A resident, Nana Osae, who spoke to GhanaWeb disclosed that Deputy Health Minister, Tina Mensah together with the MCE of the area, Joseph Stephen Nyarni, commissioned the construction of the bridge in February.
He, however, noted that the construction came to a standstill shortly after it began.
The bridge, according to residents, serves as the main route into neighbouring towns as well as the road to the Weija Mall.
They have been forced to resort to a narrow unmotorable feeder road which is inaccessible whenever it rains.
Mr. Osae added that the uncompleted bridge has become a death trap since it collects rain and is likely to flood the area one day.
Parts of the country, namely Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Obuasi are currently on a 3-week lockdown due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Some Ghanaians have begun to express worry as the country heads to the rainy season with no end in sight to the global pandemic.
An abandoned bridge, located at Anlo Afiadenyigba on Afiadenyigba-Havedzi road, in the Keta Municipality has killed a little girl and left three other persons badly injured.
The girl, Ablor Shikakpe, believed to be between 6-7 years met her untimely death Saturday night, February 22, 2020 after the motorbike carrying her crushed into the bridge.
At about 10pm, the deceased together with her father, Wordi Shikakpe, the uncle, Salifu Shikakpe and the motor rider, Korshie Abogo crushed when car headlights destructed them.
The Uncle, Salifu Shikakpe in an interview with gbcghanaonline said they were coming from Agorta, near Kedzi all in the Keta Municipal Assembly when the incident occurred.
Others are badly injured but are responding to self-medication treatment at home after visiting Abor Hospital on the first day of the accident.
The Assemblyman for Anlo Afiadenyigba, Dziehe Ablame who sympathised with the family pleaded with government through local authorities to call on the contractor to resume work on the bridge to avert future calamities.
A resident, Gilbert Korbla Kekelie, disclosed that the girl died before reaching the hospital.
“I felt very bad on that Saturday.â€
“We heard the news and rushed there but unfortunately the girl died, before reaching the hospital.â€
According to Kekelie: “that bridge has been left for years now and it has become a deathtrap to us— the community people.â€
Meanwhile, the burial ceremony for the deceased has been performed in accordance with Anlo Traditional on Monday, March 2, 2020, at Dogbeorpe near Anlo Afiadenyigba.
