Residents of Nyouri and neighboring communities in the Nadowli-Kaleo district of Ghana's Upper West Region are appealing to the government and concerned agencies to construct a permanent bridge over a waterway that becomes impassable during the rainy season. The waterway, which separates the communities, is currently crossed by a temporary wooden structure that residents construct annually. However, this temporary solution is frequently washed away by floods, disrupting movement and exposing residents, including schoolchildren and pregnant women, to danger.
The Assembly Member for Takpo, Nyuori Electoral Area, Alexis Anzagra, has expressed concern over the situation, stating that it has persisted for years despite repeated appeals to authorities and political leaders for a lasting solution. According to him, community members resort to using wooden logs to construct a temporary crossing during the dry season, only for the structure to be washed away when the rains set in. This cycle of construction and destruction has become a yearly occurrence, with residents struggling to fix the crossing during the dry season, only to have it carried away by floods.
The poor state of the crossing affects not only residents of Nyori but also those of Berendari and other surrounding communities, particularly schoolchildren who use the route to attend school. When the bridge is washed away, residents are forced to take longer routes to reach destinations that would otherwise be within a short walking distance. This diversion can be a significant challenge, especially for women who cannot cross the stream during the rainy season, even if they need to transact business less than 800 meters away.
The community's efforts to maintain the crossing are inadequate because the project is beyond its financial and technical capacity. Anzagra has raised the issue publicly as far back as 2020, and successive political stakeholders have been made aware of the problem. He has now appealed to the government, the District Chief Executive (DCE), the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nadowli-Kaleo, and other stakeholders to intervene and provide a lasting solution to the problem.
The MP for Nadowli-Kaleo, Anthony Mwinkaara Sumah, has responded to the appeals, stating that he had heard about the Nyori Bridge several years ago and had previously offered to support efforts to address the problem. He plans to engage the DCE to arrange for the district engineer to assess the crossing and determine the appropriate intervention. According to him, a technical assessment is necessary to establish the scope and cost of the work, especially since the stretch of the span suggests that a simple temporary structure would not adequately address the problem.
A resident of the Nyuori community, Zumazie Dakura, has expressed concern over the situation, particularly for women, especially pregnant women who need urgent medical attention. The poor road access can delay pregnancy and labor, preventing them from reaching health facilities, potentially endangering both mothers and their babies. Dakura has appealed to the MP and the government to intervene urgently, warning that the difficulties faced by women in accessing healthcare could have serious consequences for maternal and newborn health.
The proposed intervention, if implemented, is expected to improve access for residents to neighboring communities and address the challenges faced by women in accessing healthcare. The assessment by the district engineer will be submitted to the Department of Feeder Roads for consideration and possible support from its head of office in Accra. The MP hopes that the process will lead to the construction of a permanent bridge, which will alleviate the suffering of residents and improve their overall well-being.
Key points
- The residents of Nyouri and neighboring communities are calling for a permanent bridge over a stream that becomes impassable during the rainy season.
- The temporary wooden structure that residents construct annually to cross the stream is frequently washed away by floods, disrupting movement and exposing residents to danger.
- The Member of Parliament for Nadowli-Kaleo has pledged to support efforts to address the problem and has promised to engage the District Chief Executive to arrange for a technical assessment of the crossing.
