Swedru residents crying for reconstruction of collapsed bridges

Agona Swedru, July 19, GNA - Residents of the Agona Swedru Municipality include transport union executives, business people and traders have expressed concern about the difficulties they were going through following the collapse of the two bridges over River Akora a month ago.

Some of them said if the two bridges were not rehabilitated as soon as possible they might be compelled to abandon Swedru since their businesses were on the verge of collapse.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview Mr Mosie Otabil, Swedru Texaco branch No 2 Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, said the transport business had almost collapsed due to the break down of the bridges following a heavy downpour.

He said the situation had forced the Union to be divided into two groups, one operating at Swedru Chapel Square to handle vehicles from the Southern part of the town and passengers going to Winneba, Accra, Apam, Cape Coast and other parts of the Western Region.

The other group is operating from Texaco filling station to cater for passengers leaving Agona Swedru to Akim Oda, Bawjiase, Breman Asikuma, Kumasi and other towns at the northern part of Agona Swedru.

Mr Otabil said some drivers had taken the law into their own hands and were operating anyhow because of the absence of personnel of Motor Traffic and Transport Unit who cannot cross the bridges to discharge their duties.

He said the Texaco area, which is the heart of Swedru, needed a fire tender and police vehicles to protect life and property in case of fire outbreak and armed robbery because the two important institutions had been left at the other end of collapsed bridges.

Nana Yaw Fayah, Central Regional Chairman of the Progressive Transport Owners Association, said school children feared to cross the new swinging walk way temporally erected across the Akora River.

He appealed to the government and non governmental organization to assist the people of Agona Swedru and rehabilitate at least one of the collapsed bridges.

Alhaji Awudu Musah, a contractor, said the health of the people was in jeopardy, especially late in the night, since doctors cannot drive to attend to emergency cases at hospitals.

Ms Joyce Arthur, a trader, said traders paid huge amounts to porters who carried their wares across the broken down bridges to their stores and markets.