Navio residents appeal for support to fix collapsed bridge abandoned since 2021

Residents of the Navio Electoral Area in the Kasena Nankana West District have expressed frustration over the continued neglect of a collapsed bridge that has remained unrepaired since March 2021.

They say no government official has visited the site to assess the extent of the damage, despite repeated appeals.

The bridge, which connects several communities including Navio Kasili, Navio Tegakuri, Navio Samwo, and Tazika to the district office, the regional capital Bolgatanga, and surrounding farmlands, serves as a vital link for both economic and social activities in the area.

Speaking on the matter, the Assembly Member for the area, Hon. Apugido Roland, said the situation worsens during the rainy season when residents are unable to cross to their farms, while teachers and schoolchildren are also cut off from schools. He noted that this has severely affected academic work and economic life in the community.

“All our appeals to the central government during the previous NPP administration proved futile. The district has no resources to construct the bridge. It’s the responsibility of the Ghana Highway Authority,” Hon. Roland stressed.

Some teachers in the area also lamented the hardship the collapsed bridge has caused. One teacher explained, “Whenever it rains, we have to take a long detour before getting to our school to teach. Even today, we’re having our sporting activities, but you can see the stress we are going through.”

The residents of Navio are therefore appealing to the central government and President John Dramani Mahama to urgently intervene and reconstruct the bridge to restore normal life to their communities.