By
Anthony Apubeo, GNA
Bongo (UE), Sept 14, GNA – Madam Tangoba
Abayage, the Upper East Regional Minister, has given assurance that work on the
Bongo-Balungu Bridge and the Bongo-Namoo stretch of road in the Bongo District
will resume as soon as the rains stop.
She said the bridge was important to the
development of the district and reiterated the government’s commitment to
ensure that the bridge was completed.
The Regional Minister gave the assurance
when she inspected works on the facility and interacted with the chiefs and
residents of the district in Bongo as part of her two-week working tour of the
region.
The road, which is the only major route
linking the District Capital, Bongo, and neighbouring Burkina Faso was left by
successive governments to deteriorate and caused accidents to road users.
The bad nature of the eight-kilometre road,
particularly the only bridge which links the Balungu community and Bongo has
broken down making it a death trap to its users.
The road also links several communities in
the district and served as the main route of the people whenever they want to
access health care at the district hospital and engage in economic activities.
The situation compelled Motorists travelling
from Bolgatanga to Burkina Faso to use the Paga route instead of the Bongo road
that was shorter.
As a result, residents staged several
demonstrations and appealed to government to fix the road.
In July 2018, President Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo cut sod for the construction of the bridge and other bridges within
the Bongo District in order to promote economic growth and bring relief to the
people.
The project that was expected to be
completed in 2019 came to a standstill and the rains have further widened the
river beneath the bridge, compelling people moving to the District capital to
make long detours.
Speaking to the Chiefs and people in Bongo,
the Regional Minister placed the Bongo-Balungu bridge request before Mr Kwasi
Amoako-Atta, the Minister of Roads and Highways as her only urgent bridge in
the region.
She said the breakdown of the bridge
affected lives especially access to healthcare, education and the revenue
mobilisation of the Assembly.
Madam Abayage, who was accompanied by Mr
Peter Ayamga Ayinbisa, the District Chief Executive for area, also inspected
on-going construction of 1,000 metric tonne Warehouse at Bongo-Bogrigo, a
completed Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compound at Sinabisi
and a 10-seater flush toilet at a Bongo-Soe market.
GNA
