At least 46 communities have been cut off from the rest of the Bono East Region after torrential rains washed the only bridge at Yabraso that links Kintampo and New Longolo, thereby affecting the local economy and livelihoods of the residents.
Consequently, the chiefs and people of the area have sent an urgent message to the Ministry of Roads and Highways (MRH) and other allied agencies, to fix the broken bridge to restore the movement of people and vechicles.
The Krontihene of Mo traditional council, Nana Adjei Adinkra II, in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on Tuesday at Yabraso disclosed that the 27 kilometer road had been in bad state since 2003,coupled with the broken bridge.
Nana Adjei Adinkra mentioned some of the affected communities as Asantekwa, Basabasa, Nyabia, Wella,Gomboi, New Longolo, Challa, Nkwanta, Ayoya and Mansie among others saying that ” residents are helpless since the past week”.
“About 95 per cent of teachers in the affected communities lived in Kintampo and have not been able to use the road thereby impeding effective teaching and learning in the area”, the chief told the Ghanaian Times.
According to Nana Adjei Adinkra, residents of Kintampo Municipality could not go to their farms at the other side of the broken bridge and people at the affected communities could not bring their farm produce to Techiman and Kintampo markets.
The Member of Parliament for Kintampo North Constituency, Mr Joseph Kumah, said the road was awarded on contract in 2003, and had since been left to deteriorate after change of government.
Mr Kumah appealed to the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta and the Bono East Regional Minister, Mr Adu Gyan, to fast track the construction of the road, bridge and town roads of the Kintampo Municipality.
The Assembly Member for Asantekwa Electoral Area, Mr Agyeman Duah, was worried about how residents, especially pregnant women were unable to access health care at Kintampo and Techiman.
A driver, Mr Sulleymana Iddrisu, who ply his trade on the stretch told the Ghanaian Times that all commercial activities in the enclave had halted saying that “reptiles attack people who decide to cross the river by swimming “.
The Bono East Regional Minister, Mr Adu Gyan and his Chief Director, Mr George Padmore Mensah and other stakeholders had visited the scene to ascertain the extent of damage caused by the broken bridge.
Speaking with the Ghanaian Times, Mr Adu Gyan promised to communicate the situation to the Roads and Highways Minister, to speed up the reconstruction of the bridge and the road.
FROM EMMANUEL ADU GYAMFI, YABRASO
