A major bridge linking the Amoaku community to several towns in the Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region has collapsed, plunging over fifteen communities into crisis. Residents and traditional leaders are calling for urgent government intervention as access to markets, schools, and health services has been cut off.
The bridge, which caved in after days of persistent rainfall, served as the sole route connecting farming communities including Mumuni, Tooro Mpaan, Prestea Nkwanta, and Woman No Good to the rest of the municipality. Since its collapse, residents have resorted to makeshift wooden planks and perilous crossings over the riverbed, methods considered unsafe, especially for pregnant women, school children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups.
The affected communities, largely dependent on agriculture, say they are suffering massive post-harvest losses as cocoa and foodstuffs are now stuck in farms, unable to reach nearby market centers. Ambulance services have also been disrupted, sparking fears over the community’s ability to respond to medical emergencies.
Local schools have not been spared. Attendance has dropped drastically as students and teachers struggle to reach classrooms. Some schools have been forced to suspend academic activities entirely, further threatening the quality of education in the already underserved area.
Community leaders claim they had repeatedly petitioned the Amenfi West Municipal Assembly about the deteriorating condition of the bridge. According to them, visible signs of damage were long apparent, yet their warnings were disregarded.
Anger is now mounting against the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Priscilla Yorke. Residents say the MCE has neither visited the site nor communicated with affected communities since the incident. “We feel abandoned,” said one local leader. “Our livelihoods are in danger, and the silence from the authorities is deafening.”
Journalists who attempted to seek clarification from the MCE were met with hostility. According to one reporter, Hon. Yorke abruptly ended a phone call when asked about the situation. “She hung up without any response. It was not only disrespectful to us as media, but to every resident enduring this hardship,” the journalist lamented.
To date, no officials from the Amenfi West Assembly, NADMO, or any central government agency have visited the site. The lack of official presence and communication has deepened residents’ frustration and sense of abandonment.
What has intensified concern is the fear that the ongoing rainy season could exacerbate the situation. Residents warn that rising water levels and worsening terrain may soon make even foot travel impossible leaving entire communities cut off from essential services.
With no solution in sight, chiefs, elders, and residents are appealing directly to the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ministry of Local Government, and the Presidency for urgent action. “If we are waiting for people to die before responding, then we have truly failed as a nation,” a resident warned.
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