Sayikope Bridge collapses under weight of salt-laden truck

The Sayikope bridge over the Aklakpa stream in the North Tongu district of the Volta region collapsed on the night of January 26, 2024, around 11 PM. The incident occurred under the weight of a trailer truck carrying 600 bags of salt from Ada.

The bridge had been flagged as structurally weak by highway authorities and engineers at the North Tongu District Assembly, leading to the imposition of weight restrictions. However, despite repeated appeals from local residents, the bridge was neither closed nor repaired.

Commuters had reported that the condition of the bridge had deteriorated further following the Volta River Authority's (VRA) spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong dams. This disaster underscores the urgent need for an inquiry into the factors that contributed to the collapse and a thorough engineering assessment of all bridges, particularly those affected by the VRA-induced floods.

In response to the accident, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency has provided life jackets for the transport of students and other road users. Despite the severity of the situation, no other authorities have visited the scene.

Mr. Samuel Letsa, a teacher in the Sayikope community, expressed concern that the accident is affecting the academic progress of students. The Sayikope bridge is a crucial link for travelers from Mafi Adidome to Juapong and Accra.

This incident serves as a wake-up call for the government to carry out the necessary recovery and restoration interventions in the aftermath of the spillage catastrophe. While no fatalities occurred in this collapse, future incidents may not have the same outcome.

The report is done by Jonilar.