Assin-Anyinabrem (C/R), Nov. 06, GNA – A bridge on the 35-kilometre road from Assin Anyinabrim in the Assin South District to Breman Asikuma in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District has caved in.
The bridge, constructed four decades ago had shown visible signs of collapse and eventually caved in after hours of torrential rains accompanied by windstorm that hit the area Friday night.
No casualty has been reported, but the area had been barricaded to caution commuters against any tragedy.
Communters had to use long alternative routes from Assin Nsuta- Bepokokoo-Breman-Awhiam road or the Assin Manso-Breman Asikuma stretch.
The Assin Anyinabrim community mostly farmers and residents used the bridge regardless of its threat to them.
Some road users in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Saturday, appealed to Government to repair the road to ensure smooth and safe transportation of goods and people.
“We are going through unbearable difficulties of sending our farm produce to market to make ends meet”, Madam Grace Addo, a 55-year-old farmer lamented.
“A quick response to our appeal to the Assin South District Assembly and government to fix the road would save the situation,” she said.
A teacher, Mr Theophilus Amakye Mensah, appealed for an alternative route to be created with dispatch to enable students cross to school.
“Many students who cross the bridge everyday from the Breman Asikuma section cannot do so from now.
The bridge has become a death trap so many parents won’t allow their children and wards to use it at the peril of their lives,” he stated.
Mr Frederick Dankwa, the Assemblyman for Assin Anyonabrim Electoral Area, regretted the situation and indicated that the Assembly in collaboration with the Department of Feeder roads were working to remedy the situation.
He acknowledged the glaring imminent collapse of the bridge and attributed it to the recent use of some heavy machinery and equipment by a contractor working on a section of the road.
Similarly, in Assin-Homaho, a farming community in the Assin South District, river Atonsu had overflown its channels and cut off the community from Assin-Fosu, the only accessible route to the Assin-Fosu Municipality.
Commuters and many farmers were stranded for hours on both sides of the river following the Friday evening downpour.
Though, there was no casualty, portions of the road which is under construction were washed away by the floods.
Other Affected communities are; Assin-Yaw Boamah, Mfanti, Abaasi, Domiabra, Haruna, Appiakrom and Akoyem.
GNA