By Naa Shormei Odonkor
Koforidua, July 12, GNA – Residents in the Densuagya and Densuano farming communities in the Old Estate West Electoral Area in the New Juaben South Municipality have called for the reconstruction of the footpath bridge on the dam across the Densu River.
According to them, their lives were always at risk each time they used the over 20-year-old bridge to cross the river to either community as the bridge was too small in width and short in height.
Mr Benjamin Appiah, the assembly member for the Old Estate West Electoral Area told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that many appeals have been made to the authorities to reconstruct the bridge.
However, the appeals fell on deaf ears and residents continued to manage the footpath bridge which was in a deplorable state as they had no option to get to the other side of the river.
Information reaching the GNA from a credible source at the Densuano Ghana Water Company (GWC) Dam site was that three dam gates of the five dam gates have been spoilt for a while now.
The source mentioned that the remaining two dam gates were not strong enough to block the river from flowing to the other side, particularly during heavy rainfall.
“Even the path to opening the dam gate was very risky since it was manpower, hydraulic. We usually measure the level of water at 2 a.m. and there are no lights around the Dam too so you can imagine the danger,” the source noted.
The source recalled that in October 2022, the pumping facility at the Dam got flooded, causing it to be shut down for several days.
Also, the river overflowed on the bridge into people’s homes some meters from the riverbank and destroyed their properties.
Hajia Mariam Ahmed, a resident of Densuano and a 10-acre vegetable farmer, said she crossed the river every day to visit her farm which was some kilometres away from Densuagya.
“We are not at peace using the footpath bridge. There are crocodiles, and snakes in the river which make crossing the river on the footpath bridge very scary,” she disclosed.
She recalled that she once witnessed when the river washed ashore a dead body as she was crossing the river, adding, “Many people lost their lives as they fell off the bridge especially when it rained.”
Hajia Ahmed appealed to the government and other philanthropists to help widen and raise the bridge a little higher than it currently was by reconstructing it to protect the lives of residents.
Furthermore, the GNA observed during a visit to the river that the path leading to the footpath bridge was sloppy upon which if care was not taken, a person could fall and end up in the river.
Also, residents and visitors who own cars and wish to visit either of the communities across the Densu River were compelled to park at the bank of the river, cross the river on foot and continue their journey by foot, motorcycle, or car at a fee.
GNA