A community-funded bridge over the Vea Dam spillway will be commissioned today, ending nearly six decades of dangerous river crossings that cut off thousands of residents from healthcare, education, and economic opportunities during Ghana’s rainy season.
The bridge in Bongo District, Upper East Region, was built primarily through donations from one native of the area, Abubakar Atanga, U.S.-based Real Life Ministry, and community contributions after successive governments failed to deliver on promises dating to 2020.
“The completion of this bridge means a lot to the people of Vea alone, but to the surrounding communities and, in fact, the region at large,” said Wilbert Apu-usum, assembly member for the Vea electoral area. “Since 1965, every year we have had to cross; before even the inception of canoes, we had to swim across to Gowrie and the other communities beyond.”
The Vea Irrigation Dam was constructed in 1965, but no bridge was built across its spillway. During the six-month rainy season each year, floodwaters forced residents to rely on canoes to access medical facilities, schools, and markets. Canoe operators charged up to 20 cedis ($1.30) to ferry passengers and motorbikes across the spillway.
According to Apu-usum, residents who became ill and needed referral to Bolgatanga Regional Hospital or Bongo District Hospital faced life-threatening delays. Students traveling to Gowrie Senior High School and other institutions in Bolgatanga regularly missed classes.
The bridge project began after the Vea Homecoming group conceived the idea in 2019 and advocated for government intervention without success. A local resident, identified by Apu-usum only as “Mr. Abubakare Atanga,” initiated construction using personal resources, prompting Real Life Ministry to provide major funding support.
Communities surrounding Vea—including Zorko, Nyariga, Balungu, and Gowrie—sent residents to volunteer in the construction work. Church groups, youth organizations, and community sections participated in the effort.
“This is a symbol of unity, a symbol of collaboration, and a symbol of partnership,” Apu-usum said.
The bridge serves residents across multiple communities who previously faced a choice between dangerous canoe crossings or lengthy detours during flood season. Health workers, teachers, and traders were among those most affected by the annual isolation.
Former Roads and Highways Minister Kwasi Amoako-Atta promised in 2020 that a government contractor would build a bridge by November 2021, but no work materialized before his government left office in December 2024.
The World Bank approved $125 million in July for irrigation infrastructure improvements in the region, including rehabilitation of the Vea Dam, but those funds did not cover the spillway bridge.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Vea
