The Chiana-Paga Constituency chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the government to as a matter of urgency fix the Paga to Navio steel bridge which has collapsed and become death trap for travellers.
According to the party, the Paga-Navio which was constructed during the Rawlings regime of 30 years ago collapsed when a Burkina Faso bound Truck was crossing to paga.
A press statement issued by the Constituency Communication officer, Stephen Avoyam said the bridge which was constructed on the Gugura River, connects Navio and Tazika Bagtua to Paga, the capital of the Kassena Nankana West District and several other communities.
However, it collapsed on March 24, 2022 when a heavy-duty DAF truck carrying logs and heading towards Paga from Tangasougo in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Below is Full Statement
NDC COMMUNICATION BUREAU OF CHIANA-PAGA DEMANDS IMMEDIATE RECONSTRUCTION OF A STEEL BRIDGE AT PAGA NAVIO
It would be recalled that during the first quarter of 2022 the steel bridge which was constructed by Former President, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings some thirty years ago across the Gugura River, which connects Navio and Tazika Bagtua to Paga, the capital of the Kassena Nankana West District and several other communities, collapsed on March 24, 2022 when a heavy-duty DAF truck with registration number AW 8894-12 carrying logs and heading towards Paga from Tangasougo in neighbouring Burkina Faso was crossing it.
Many other communities aside Navio who have been impacted by the collapsed of the bridge are Manyoro, Natugnia, Sirigu and its environs, as well as some border communities in Burkina Faso who equally use the bridge to get to Paga.
A worrying development that arose as a result of the collapsed of the bridge is the fact that farmers in that jurisdiction are unable to cart their harvested farm produce on that road to market centres for sale, which is a great source of worry to them.
Residents who use that stretch of the road on a daily basis also have to go through long winding alternative routes to get to their destinations in Navrongo and Paga.
The collapsed of the bridge is therefore, having a negative toll on economic activities in the area since it has become very difficult for traders to embark on their trading activities while workers struggle to get to work daily.
Teachers, Nurses and other government workers who by duty have to report to their work places have to bear additional cost of transportation this however has discouraged new workers from accepting postings to the area.
Unfortunately, five persons have lost their lives after the collapse of the bridge, including two Burkinabes who were on a motorbike at night and fell into the river since they did not know the bridge had collapsed. Later, they both died at the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo while receiving treatment.
Students from the area who attend the Paga Community Day School cannot cross the river daily to and from school, with its attendant negative consequences on their academic fortunes.
The District Chief Executive for the Kassena Nankana West District, Gerard Ataogye, after the collapse of the bridge said in an interview that “luckily, the road has been captured under feeder roads project and will soon be packaged and awarded, which will also include the reconstruction of the steel bridge”.
This metaphoric and self-illusion statement from the Hon. DCE does not give hope to the residents since there was no clarity and certainty on when the so-called “package” would be awarded.
During a recent visit of the Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to the Paga Pio palace the Paramount Chief of the Paga Traditional Area, Paga-Pio, Pe Charles Awiah Awampaga II, said, “We urgently need this bridge to enhance economic activities on that stretch, as well as enable farmers to cart their farm produce to the market.”
This passionate call by our Revered chief has also yielded no results. Despite all these atrocities and acrimonies inflicted on the Kessena Nankana people, we in the NDC did not see any goodwill from duty-bearers.
The Upper East Regional Minister Hon. Stephen Yakubu and the DCE for the Kassena Nankana West, Gerard Atoagye who are the key representatives of the government in the region and the district respectively are reluctant if not unwilling to take drastic measures to make sure the collapsed bridge is given the necessary attention.
Several appeals by residents, opinion leaders, chiefs, and the Assembly Members of the area, to the district assembly for swift action toward the construction of a better alternative route all, proved futile.
Also, the MP for the area, Hon. Thomas Dalu Addah, upon several appeals to the Department of Feeder Roads, the Kassena Nankana West District Assembly, and the Minister of Roads have all yielded no result.
By this release, we are giving a three-month ultimatum to the governing NPP, to urgently construct this steel bridge in that area to ease the unbridled economic hardship imposed on the Citizenry or face our wrath. We in the NDC shall join the general populace in the coming days to embark on a series of demonstrations and other legitimate avenues if our concerns in this presser are not addressed.
We want to further demand from the Kassena Nankana West District Assembly to immediately construct a diversionary route on that enclave to help commuters ply that stretch.
In conclusion, NDC in Chiana-Paga wants to assure the citizenry, especially constituents that we shall continue to be very effective, responsible, and constructive, in drawing the attention of the inept NPP government to pertinent issues bothering them in the constituency.
Long live NDC
Long live Chiana-Paga
Long live Ghana
Cc:
Upper East Regional Minister
District Chief Executive KNWDA
All Media Houses
Signed:
Stephen Avoyam
(Communication officer NDC Chiana-Paga)
Issued:
Akoriwo Denis
(Dept communication officer NDC Chiana-Paga)
