Contractor's bridge-split at Esereso causes upset in residents daily activities

Residents of Esereso in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region have complained about an ongoing construction works on their broken bridge in-between Atonsu and Esereso which is upsetting their daily activities through heightening vehicle fares and increasing the risk of flooding and erosion on the road whenever there is a heavy downpour.

To them, the situation is a threat to pupils who cross daily for school and have called on government authorities to counsel the contractor to speed up.

The road which has been split by Kofi Job Construction has affected drivers and pedestrians for the reason that, cars cannot cross as inhabitants in neighbouring towns have to make transits at one end of the bridge although a passage has been created to be used by natives.

A demonstration was staged against the contractor by inhabitants for using culverts in the erecting of the bridge instead of concrete which would last longer than the former and per the words of residents, the road worker was not pleased with the idea and preferred splitting the bridge in the process of work as payback for questioning his job.

“The distance is short and cars charge 1.70 pesewas yet due to the situation now, we pay almost triple of the fare before getting home,” a concerned driver told SoireeNews.

“We demonstrated against the constructor’s work on the materials used for the job. He felt we didn’t have a high opinion of him hence his actions to punish us. We protested because he used culverts for the job which will worsen the case when there is rainfall.

"The former bridge done by the whites was all concrete and was able to withstand the pressure of the heavy rain. We want something similar and he should learn from that and speed up because things have been tough for us since the road was split.”

Occupants in the neighbouring towns have cast doubts on the reliability of Kofi Job saying he cares not about their welfare since he would have provided an alternative before separating the road to ease the stress they are going through.

They revealed to SoireeNews that Esereso is too good to go through road upsets following the number of political figures that hails from the town including the Ashanti Regional Minister, Honorable Simon Osei Mensah, Education Minister Elect, Honorable Yaw Adutwum, New Patriotic Party Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) and a few others. They have called on these noble personalities to advise the contractor to speed up works on the broken bridge.

“The contractor shouldn’t have divided the road without alternatives, rather a route could have been created for drivers to access,” a female passenger advised.

“He has made it hard for us and the means of transport has become very testing for us. Wontumi (NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman), The Regional Minister of Ashanti and Honorable Adutwum are natives of this town and it’s unfortunate we are going through this. The harm has already been done, what we expect from him is to speed up,” she added.

“The road has affected our trade a lot. We sometimes walk from here to Sewia Junction to board car for work. The distance is frustrating and we are entreating him to speed up work. The bridge is lower than the former and he must raise it a little higher to give the water easy passage whenever there is a heavy downpour,” she told.

Guardians of pupils have to wait at the end of the bridge to welcome their wards home and prepare them for school to meet the bus at the edge of the bridge. A parent was disturbed by the change of route but expressed that the harm has already been caused therefore for the safety of her children, it is expedient to always adopt the new norm until the challenge is finally resolved although her expectations were cut off on the project.

“Take a look at this bridge, when is he going to complete the job. I have to cross my grandchildren to school and when they close, I pick them up to avoid any calamity.

“Their school bus cannot cross and the start of the rain is a threat to our lives. The dust is against our health and dressing. We are calling upon them (the authorities) to have a say to awaken the contractor.”