Government to construct collapsed bridges at Agona Swedru

Agona Swedru (C/R), Aug. 5, GNA - Mr Joe Gidisu, the Minister of Roads and Highways, on Wednesday cut the sod for work to begin on the construction of two bridges at Agona Swedru in the Agona West Municipality of the Central Region.

They are a 60-metre dual carriageway bailey bridge to link Agona Swedru to Bawjiase and a 50-metre bridge on the Akora River at Agona Swedru.

The bridges are estimated at GH¢835,000 to be executed within two months by the Bridge Maintenance Unit of Ghana Highway Authority and General Construction and Development Company, a private firm.

They collapsed during recent floods in the Region and other parts of the country that disconnected Agona Swedru from other communities and towns.

Mr Gidisu assured the people that government would not renege on its responsibility to develop all communities to bring relief to the people.

He said the disaster was of national dimension therefore, government instituted a Task Force, which took inventory of all affected areas for special intervention to salvage the situation.

Mr Gidisu appealed to the people, especially the youth of Swedru who demonstrated because of perceived inaction on the bridges, to exercise restraint as government marshalled resources to remedy the situation.

He said the government had put together a contingency plan to construct roads, bridges and other infrastructure to improve the living standards of the people and urged them not to politicise the situation but keep faith with the Government.

Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, the Central Regional Minister, assured chiefs and people of Agona Swedru of the government's preparedness to implement projects towards accelerated development in the Region.

She said the perception that government was not serious about solving the problem in the area because it was an opposition strong-hold was not true because the government was committed to develop all parts of the country.