Drivers want government to fix a collapsed bridge at Breman Kuntanse

Breman Kuntanse, (C/R), Nov 29, GNA - Trotro and tax drivers plying Agona Swedru to Breman Asikuam have made an appeal to the government to fix a collapsed bridge on River Bowen at Breman Kuntanse to avert disaster.

According them, it had become difficult for them to use the bridge and was affecting their daily sales and other expenditures on their families.

The drivers made this known when they took Media round to inspect the collapsed bridge that temporally used wood.

Mr Francis Darko, Breman Asikuma Station Master of the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) told the Media that when the bridge collapsed after torrential rains, Transport Union executives informed the Assembly to help fix it.

He said the Assembly reportedly said that it was ready to fix the bridge but there was no money available to fix the it and the PROTOA and Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) decided to support the Asikuma- Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly with GHC 500 and GHC 1,000 respectively.

Mr Darko expressed shock and dismay that the Assembly could not use cement concrete and iron materials to fix the bridge, but rather used sawn lumber to fix half of the bridge.

The PROTOA station Master said the Assembly after partially fixing the bridge with boards, ordered drivers to use what they described as “Death Trap Bridge” to transport passengers to and from or they would face the wrath.

Mr Kojo Osam, Breman Asikuma GPRTU Station Master stated that the use of the wood as a temporary measure was dangerous as it could easily cave-in.

Mr Osam said that the drivers were disappointed in the Assembly due to failure to fix the bridge with cement concrete and iron materials that would help heavy trucks to use it.

The Station Master said the Chief of Breman Kuntanse, Nana Odum Asirifi III, and immediate past Government Appointee of Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly pledged to convey the message to the authorities of the Assembly.

Nana Yaw Fayah, the Central Regional Chairman of the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) told the Media that the Assembly was toying with lives of travelling Public as heavy trucks and big buses could not use the bridge since it was built with wood and not cement concrete.

He appealed to the Central Regional Minister and Minister of roads and Highways to help fix the bridge.

The Central Regional Chairman of PROTOA cautioned that if the authorities fail to fix the bridge with cement concrete and iron materials the drivers plying the road would advise themselves.

Nana Odum  Asirifi  who is also Benkumhene of Breman Asikuma Traditional Area in an interview with Media, said the Assembly spent GHC to fix the bridge with wood and was taking steps to fix it, adding that it was true that Breman Kuntanse, Breman Asikuma and Brakwa were cocoa growing areas and their produce could be locked up due to the collapse of the bridge.

GNA