The Sirigu-Zorko bridge remains unfixed years after community members, youth leaders, and the Paramount Chief of the area drew attention to the problem.
Matthew Abagna, President of the Sirigu Youth Association in the Kassena-Nankana West District, has once again issued an urgent appeal for government action.
Speaking on the Daybreak Upper East show on A1 Radio, Mr. Abagna highlighted the worsening conditions of the bridge and its severe impact on the community.
According to Mr. Abagna, the bridge remains in a deteriorated state, exacerbated by the recent rainy season. Despite previous assurances that an engineer would assess the situation, there has been no progress or follow-up on the repairs.
“Some months ago, they said they were sending an engineer. The engineer came to the site, and we thought that was a sign of relief, but nothing has happened since. That was about three months ago. Now, with the rains coming, we still have no update. Nobody has returned, and there has been no assurance from anywhere,” he said.
Mr. Abagna expressed concern that the lack of action has left the community in a precarious situation with no clear solutions in sight. “The community doesn’t know what to do. We are only looking up to God,” he said.
The condition of the bridge has led to tragic consequences, including accidents and fatalities. Pregnant women have been unable to access necessary medical services due to the impassable road. Abagna further noted that Chiefs and community members have made numerous efforts to draw attention to the issue, but these have so far been unsuccessful.
The youth president has called on the authorities, including the government and the regional minister, to address the critical state of the bridge, emphasizing that the Sirigu community urgently needs intervention to prevent further loss and ensure safer conditions for its residents.
It would be recalled that on Saturday, August 19, 2023, the inhabitants of Sirigu, a community within the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, held a peaceful yet resolute demonstration. They protested to demand swift action to repair the crucial bridge, which has been in disrepair for four years, adversely affecting their lives and businesses.
Carrying placards with messages such as “Fix Our Bridge, Save Our Lives!” and “Isolated for Four Years, Enough is Enough!”, the demonstrators expressed their inability to endure further hardships caused by the dilapidated bridge.
Additionally, a group of women from the Sirigu community issued an ultimatum to the government, demanding urgent action to rectify the state of their collapsed bridge or they would stage a public protest in the nude.
Their outcry was driven by the bridge’s critical role in connecting essential facilities such as health centers, farmlands, and schools. A spokesperson among the women, addressing the media, emphasized the bridge’s importance, stating, “The broken bridge is not just a piece of concrete; it is our connection to life. Without it, we are isolated from medical care, our livelihoods, and the rest of the world. Our children miss school, and our elders suffer.”
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Ghana
