The residents of Elobankata in the Ahanta West Municipality of the western region are appealing to government to come to their aid. Their concerns follows the only dilapidated access bridge linking the municipality to the rest of the communities including the OIL COAST (Cape 3 point).
The dilapidated brigde according to the assembly member of the area, Hon. Kennedy Ansah has been in that situation for well over three years now.
Hon. Kennedy Ansah further bemoaned that, the deteriorated bridge which serves seven communities including ; Ntaakrom, Boekrom, Aboadi, Kubekor and Cape 3 point, has become a major become a major setback for the people of these communities and yet nothing feasible is being done to avert the problem. Movement of people and goods have become very difficult and also acts as security threat to the residents.
Hon. Ansah moreover revealed that, in the year 2015, a passenger vehicle fell into the river due to the lack of grid guard or pillars at the edges to support the bridge from falling apart.
He noted and lamented that, the Elobankata Bridge, constructed some years back has not seen any major rehabilitation.
Several appeals by residents and the assembly member of the area to the offices of the Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL) and the Ahanta West Municipal Assembly have fallen to deaf ears.
The assembly man posited again that, heavy duty trucks such as, bulldozers, huge earth breaking machines, including small cars, motorbikes and GREL vehicles all ply the rickety bridge.
Meanwhile, some frustrated and disgruntled residents disclosed profusely that several engineers have been around the section to audit the extent of damaged by the bridge; but was quick to asserts no real work has been done on it to alleviate the dangers posed to people who patronized it.
They avowed they are scared of their lives by threats in regards to the fragility by the bridge which has become a death trap, and a challenge to livelihoods and local economy.
The resident however concluded that, “the bridge is now a death trap and the saddest of all is that, upon being tax as tax payers by the state we have been denied of our own share of the national cake and thus; they are calling on the Ahanta West Municipal Assembly and government for immediate support.
The Member of Parliament for Ahanta west constituency in the western region, Hon. Kum corroborated and confirmed it on Ahotor FM’s Morning show dubbed “Oman Yi Mu Nsem” on Wednesday, 27/06/2018. He stated that his outfit is liaising with relevant stakeholders to fixed the broken bridge to bring closure to the problem which seemed to bedevilling the residents in and around the community.
Portia Nana Yaa Cudjoe/ahotoronline.com
