Takoradi: Mr. Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister, has indicated a strong commitment to probe a 65-million-euro loan facility for the construction and rehabilitation of three bridges approved by Parliament in 2020. The bridges in question include those on the Ankobra River at Sanwoma in the Ellembelle District, the River Iture between Elmina and Cape-Coast in the Central Region, and the Dikpe Bridge, a new bridge over the Black Volta between Lawra and Dikpe.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Nelson mentioned that the Ankobra Bridge was initially constructed between 1983 and 1984 by Fermentation Construction Company. Over the years, the bridge has been exposed to the weather, rendering it weak and less effective. The Regional Minister has vowed to work closely with the Structural Integrity department to conduct a test run on the bridge, which will inform further actions.

Mr. Saaka Alhassan, the Ellembelle District Roads Engineer, shared that letters had been dispatched to the Ministry of Roads and
Highways in Accra, but a definitive response regarding the bridge’s repair or reconstruction was still pending. Additionally, Mr. Joseph Agyekum, Ellembelle District Chief Executive (DCE), confirmed that the Assembly was aware of the bridge’s condition and would initiate steps to prompt government intervention.

The Ankobra River bridge serves as a vital international route, linking communities along the Western corridor road from Takoradi and Tarkwa to Elubo, Half-Assini, and extending to other countries in the West African sub-region, including La Cote D’Ivoire.