Pedestrian Bridges (Footbridges): A Trap for Ghanaians?

Introduction
Government is created among men to protect Life, Liberty and Property (Locke, 1823). These three are the core functions of government. The creation of numerous state institutions, ministries, departments and agencies are all geared towards the protection of these three core functions.

I must quickly add, the order of these functions are of importance in governance. The protection of life becomes the most important function of government followed by liberty and property.

Pedestrian Bridges (Footbridges)
Pedestrian Bridge, popular called footbridge, according to Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary is "a narrow bridge that is only used by people who are walking".

Footbridges are designed to support pedestrians in both directions of movement.

They usually have no upright support at the middle of it to support constant weight. They are hanging bridges designed to support moving weight only.

Footbridges in Ghana
There is a seemingly trap of footbridges in Ghana particularly in Kumasi and Accra.

Just recently, I heard a news item led by Sampson K Nyamekye aired on Hello FM-Kumasi, Peace FM-Accra and UTV-Accra, a subsidiaries of Despite Media Group in Ghana.

The reports indicated that, traders in the two major cities, Kumasi and Accra have taken over footbridges selling their goods and services on them.

The reports added that, the over seemingly pressure on these footbridges as a result of constant weight makes them "shaking" meaning they can collapse sooner rather than later which can cause a great deal of life.

Listening to these reports, I took it upon myself to visit the 70-metre Adum footbridge, which links the Central Business District, Adum to the main Central Market in Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana. This footbridge, according to my search was built with a cost of GHȼ 2,229,189.00 meant to allow free and safe movement of pedestrians over the railway lines.

My visit to the footbridge confirmed the various reports by Sampson K Nyamekye and clearly I could see the core function of government, protection of life, is under gutters!

I climbed the footbridge and stood in the middle of it for one minute and I had no option than to start gathering my slippers and run helter-skelter.

I could feel the footbridge shaking. I raised my heads up, and I could see the steel hangings given support to the footbridge shaking as well. I held some of the steel metals and I could feel them vibrating! I was shivering with fear and I could not spend two minutes on the footbridge.

I had no option than to conclude that the footbridge is a real trap! Human lives can be lost easily.

Another key observation was, aside pedestrians and the traders on this footbridge, a public toilet facility has been constructed under it. This toilet facility is in the middle of the Central Business District and so your guess is as right as mine. It has a higher patronage! I therefore cannot count the number of human life under this footbridge every single second!

My research further indicated that, authorities in the region, notably the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Mayor, Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi have taken various steps to get the traders out of the footbridge to ease the pressure. However, these steps are not seeing the light of the day. Traders claim they have no other place to sell their goods and services for a living and therefore not prepared to leave. I was dumbfounded because I could sense indiscipline is traded off for life! Conversely, from my search, Afia Kobi Ampem market located at Abinkyi near Adum has a lot of space to accommodate these traders if only they are willing to move there.

My conclusion
Government officials must understand the core functions of government. First among them all is the protection of life. This core function cannot be compensated for any other thing including the seeking of wealth, property and or liberty.

Authorities must therefore protect life first by, first of all, moving the traders out from the footbridge and secondly, making sure they settle in the right market for trading. The first is the first duty. Pedestrians, the traders themselves and those under the footbridge "doing themselves well" are all at risk. We must save life first before thinking of other responsibilities.

Footbridges cannot be built to set trap for us all.

Indiscipline cannot be compensated for the protection of life!

You don't know when you will pass there.
You don't know when a family member will pass there.

You don't know when the dear friend of yours will pass there.

All traders must vacate our footbridges now!
Act now, our government officials!
©Gabriel Asante
Department of History and Political Studies
KNUST-Kumasi
Mob: +233 245328155
E-mail: [email protected]