After decades of neglect and isolation, residents of the Vea community in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region have constructed a spillway bridge across the Vea Dam through their annual Vea Homecoming initiative. The entirely community-driven project marks a major turning point in Vea’s long struggle for accessibility and development.
For years, the people of Vea and neighboring communities have endured immense hardship, especially during the rainy season when the spillway becomes impassable. Since the dam’s construction in 1968, residents — including farmers, traders, teachers, and health workers — have been cut off from surrounding areas, with repeated petitions to authorities yielding no results.
Speaking on Bolga FM’s Tingmaalgo Sanga, Chairman of the Vea Homecoming Committee, Milton Aberinga, said the initiative was born out of frustration but fueled by unity and determination.We realized that waiting on government was no longer an option,” he explained. “So, we came together through the Vea Homecoming to build this bridge ourselves. It’s not just for Vea — it’s for the good people of Bongo and the entire Upper East Region.”
Mr. Aberinga said the completion of the spillway bridge will improve access to schools, health facilities, and markets, thereby boosting economic activity and enhancing livelihoods across the district.
“This bridge stands as proof that when a community unites behind a vision, development becomes possible,” he added.
The new bridge, which connects Vea to nearby communities and the Bolgatanga township, is scheduled for commissioning in November. It has already been hailed as one of the most significant self-help projects in the district’s history — a lasting symbol of perseverance, pride, and people-led progress.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Moses Anaba Azubire|Bolgatanga
