By Rosemary Wayo
Walewale, (NE/R), June 25, GNA – A bridge linking Tinguri and Gbani communities on the Walewale-Nalerigu Road, damaged by rains, is still in a hazardous state.
The bridge has remained unrepaired after temporary measures that involved filling portions with sand and creating an alternative route connecting the two communities.
Residents and commuters, who ply the road, have raised concerns of danger calling for immediate work to repair the collapsed parts of the bridge.
The bridge, which was destroyed by a downpour in August last year, is still used by some commuters in its dilapidated state while others use the alternative route which takes a relatively longer time.
The bridge links surrounding communities to Nalerigu, the administrative capital of the North East Region.
As the rainy season begins, residents are worried about the state of the bridge, which they fear was turned into a death trap, especially when it rains.
Mr. Yidana Iddrissu Bugzuah, Assemblyman of the Tinguri Electoral Area, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said work on the bridge had delayed, although it was assigned to a contractor, who reported to site adding a gutter construction on another road, which connected Gbani to Kparigu, hindered the repair process.
He said the construction of the gutter was being done by another contractor, adding work on the Tinguri-Gbani Bridge could not be done concurrently.
The Assembly man said “Another issue stalling the process is that the contractor has applied for a meter at Volta River Authority (VRA) to be able to use a machine to bend the rod. VRA has not been quick on this because the contractor has been told that letter for the meter has been sent to Bolga.”
He mentioned that although the road was usable, heavy rainfall could wash off the sand and gravels poured around the remains of the bridge, adding the alternative route would be the only option in that case.
Probing further, the GNA found that no work had begun on the site since the incident happened in August last year.
Residents, who spoke to the GNA, said they had not spotted the contractor on site for a long time.
GNA