For many in the Vea community of the Bongo District, the newly constructed Vea Spillway Bridge is more than just a passageway — it is the fulfillment of a childhood promise, a 50-year dream come true.
The man behind the life-changing project, Abubakar Sadiq Atanga, a native of Vea and philanthropist, says his inspiration dates back to a frightening childhood experience that stayed with him for decades.
Speaking in an interview on the day of the commissioning of the project, Mr. Atanga recalled his first visit to Vea as a 12-year-old boy who had lived in Akim Asuom in the Eastern Region, where he was born. On that trip, he and his father were forced to cross the Vea spillway by canoe because the dam was full.
“While we were in the middle of the water, the canoe operator started scooping out water, and it began shaking,” he recounted. “I was scared, so I asked my father what would happen if the canoe capsized. He told me, ‘If you don’t know how to swim, you’ll die.’”
That moment, he said, left a deep mark on his young mind. “When we got home, I told my father that when I grew up and got a good job, I would build a bridge across the spillway so no one would ever die there again,” he said. “He laughed and told me it was too big a task — but I never forgot that promise.”
Over the years, the memory lingered. Every time Mr. Atanga returned to Vea, he said, fear and determination resurfaced whenever he crossed the spillway.
His inspiration reignited years later while working in Tanzania, where he saw a similar irrigation dam with a well-constructed spillway bridge. “I told myself, if they can build something like this there, why can’t we have one in my hometown?” he said.
That vision eventually became reality. Through the Vea Homecoming Initiative, Mr. Atanga mobilized resources and led efforts to construct the Vea Spillway Bridge — a project that cost over GHC 1 million.
The bridge now serves as a vital link between communities, ending decades of isolation during the rainy season and providing safe passage for farmers, traders, students, and health workers.
“What started as a childhood fear has become a source of pride,” Mr. Atanga said, reflecting on the long journey. “This bridge is not just for Vea; it is for the people, for our farmers, and for future generations.”
The Vea Spillway Bridge, hailed as one of the most transformative community-led projects in the Upper East Region, stands today as both a literal and symbolic bridge — one built on promise, perseverance, and the power of a dream kept alive.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Vea
