Story By: Samali Abdul Razak
RESIDENTS of Bontibor in the Oti Region are crying out for urgent government support as a collapsed bridge and severely deteriorated roads continue to endanger lives and cripple economic activities.
Frank Yeboah, Bontibor Assembly Member in Nkwanta South Municipality, expressed grave concern, especially with schools set to reopen. “My heart is bleeding. I don’t know how the students will manage to use this dangerous road,” he said.
He revealed that the poor condition of the road is taking a toll on healthcare delivery as well. “Our health facility is overwhelmed. Some patients need urgent referrals to the municipal hospital at Nkwanta South, but the road is so bad that people are dying before they get there.”
The Assembly Member blamed the situation on shoddy construction work, saying the bridge, built in 2024 was poorly done and suffered heavy damage after recent rains, cutting off the entire community from essential services.
The bridge, a vital link connecting Bontibor and neighbouring farming communities, has become impassable, disrupting daily movement and stalling the transport of goods such as cocoa, plantain, maize, yam, and cassava. He added that foodstuffs are rotting due to the lack of access to markets.
Margaret Mensah, a midwife at the local clinic, lamented the difficulty in transporting patients to larger hospitals. She called for immediate restoration of the bridge and roads to ensure timely healthcare delivery.
P. K. Quaison, the community’s eldest leader, was overcome with emotion as he recounted the tragic death of an SHS student who fell victim to the collapsed bridge.
“This road is our only link to the municipal capital, Nkwanta. Now that we are cut off, we are helpless,” he said, appealing directly to the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwame Agbodza, to intervene urgently.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
