Govt urged to repair Ankobra bridge

A Field Officer at Hen Mpoano, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Augustine Adamtey, has called on the Roads Ministry to, as a matter of urgency, do repair works on the Ankobra Bridge in the Ellembelle District in the Western region.

According to him, the pillars holding the bridge for the past five years appear to be gradually falling off.

 Mr Adamtey said the bridge itself had become weak, developed potholes and shook when it was traversed.

The Field Officer at Hen Mpoano was speaking in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on the state of the bridge on the sidelines of a mangrove tour in the Western region last Wednesday.

“I cannot tell when the bridge was done but I have been here for the past 10 years and we have been using it. We have noticed that the pillars holding the bride are gradually falling off,” Mr Adamtey stated.

“So it is very dangerous. Apart from that there are potholes on the bridge itself which has made it weak and can be felt when used,” Mr Adamtey added.

Admitting that they had not reported to authorities their observations, Mr Adamtey underscored that some persons believed to be working with the roads ministry had been there some time ago to ascertain the situation but had not returned to start any work in a long time.

“I have noticed it for about five years now. Before that the pillars were straight. It would be required that the government do something about it as a matter of urgency. It was just recently that they came around to assess the situation but we are yet to hear from them again,” he added.

Mr Adamtey indicated that the bridge linked the Ellembelle and Jomoro districts, hence cars from Takoradi to Ellembelle towards Ivory Coast and vice versa used the bridge.

He said it was for that reason the bridge needed to be fixed as soon as possible to avert any unforeseen incident.

FROM ABIGAIL ARTHUR, ANKOBRA