A nation in fragments
Adomi is not just a bridge linking two towns. It is sad when people who should know better erroneously describe Adomi Bridge as linking the Eastern Region to Juapong, Ho and Hohoe and leave it at that.
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The only suspension bridge in the country which was opened to traffic in 1958, it does not link just two regions -- Eastern and Volta. That bridge was strategically constructed as a link between the southern and northern parts of the country. It also symbolically and physically merged the then Trans-Volta Togoland, which voted in 1956 to become part of the new independent Republic of Ghana under the new name ‘Volta Region’.
It is very educative for people, who, out of ignorance, have been referring to the Volta Region as Number Nine, apparently because they thought it was the ninth region to be created, to know that at independence, there were what could be described as four regions. These were the Gold Coast Colony, the Ashanti Protectorate, the Northern Territories and the Trans-Volta Togoland.
Other regional demarcations took place after independence, the Gold Coast Colony splitting into the Western, Central and Eastern regions. The Brong Ahafo Region was also carved out of the Ashanti Protectorate with the latter becoming the Ashanti Region, while the Northern Territories got split into the Northern and Upper regions.
The Greater Accra Region was created out of the Eastern Region to allow for a better administration of Accra, the capital city, and Tema, the new industrial and port city of the nation.
A 10th region, the Upper West, with its capital in Wa, came out of the then Upper Region. Maybe we need to know that the tag ‘Number Nine’ came about because during the first national beauty contest organised to herald Ghana's independence, Ms Monica Amekorfia, the lady who won the contest to become the first Miss Ghana, was wearing the Number Nine tag. Incidentally, she came from the Volta Region. No need to sound derogatory or feel ashamed about such a historical feat.
Before the construction of the Adomi Bridge, there was a ferry crossing at Senchi to facilitate the movement of goods and people on the eastern corridor to the northern parts of the country. This was, of course, a tedious exercise and return journeys took days and weeks.
As stated earlier, Adomi Bridge was not just a civil engineering installation to ferry goods and people. It was also a political tool to cement the full integration of the Trans-Volta Togoland, now the Volta Region, with the rest of the landmass called Ghana.
The bridge also serves as a vital link with neighbouring Togo, Benin, Nigeria to the East and Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) to the North. Those who know the country very well will admit that it is shorter between Accra and Tamale by crossing the Adomi Bridge and using the eastern corridor road than using the road through Kumasi. Why the upgrading of the eastern corridor road which passes through Peki, Hohoe, Jasikan, Kadjebi, Nkwanta and crosses the River Oti at Damanko before entering the Northern Region has delayed all these years is still an enigma.
So dear reader, Adomi is not an ordinary bridge that should be allowed to decay. The problem of Adomi Bridge did not start yesterday. It was realised many years ago that because of neglect and lack of maintenance and, in a way, irresponsible planning, the bridge was heading for collapse.
First, our engineers never gave a thought to the fact that by allowing heavy duty vehicles to stand on the bridge for long periods in wait to pay tolls, it would exert unnecessary pressure and cause damage.
It was only after the harm had been done that it was decided vehicles coming from the Juapong-end of the bridge should pay tolls before crossing. This was about five years ago. For such a major and strategic national asset, the design and siting of the toll booth is strange. It was as if only a few vehicles were expected to cross it daily. There was no shelter for motorists during rain or shine. The heat we could endure, but when it is raining and you have to pay a toll you could imagine the amount of rain water that would pour into your vehicle. But we endured this for over 56 years.
The decision to close down the bridge did not come suddenly either. First, we were told the Japanese government had gratuitously offered to construct a new bridge at the present place while the old is repaired or dismantled. The design of the new bridge was even published in the Daily Graphic to whet our appetite. I hope this offer has not become a pipe dream.
It is always dangerous to have only one bridge at any major crossing. That was why we should have constructed another bridge all these years. We have failed in this, and we have failed to maintain the existing one.
Meanwhile, an alternate route through Sogakope-Adidome-Ho has not been given any serious attention. Suddenly, one morning we woke up and there is no Adomi Bridge to cross! We have to go back to the colonial era, crossing the river with a ferry. Even before the ferry ordeal commences, one out of the two has broken down. This cannot be a country moving forward. At best, we are drifting.
The collapse of Adomi also means the bond between the south and the north of our country has become weaker. It is also a serious threat to the eastern corridor road project, which is already fumbling.
Why we should allow such a national calamity to befall us is hard to fathom. Some of us have genuine fears that our country is becoming more and more fragmented. Travelling between Accra and Kumasi, our second largest city is a nightmare. The Accra-Tema Motorway, the pride of the nation is now tattered and not easy to cross because of a weak bridge. The Volta, which feeds us with food, drinking water and electrical energy has become a barrier between one half of the country and the other.
After 57 years, we should be celebrating our unity and bonding more and not being reduced to small enclaves because of bad roads and collapsed, weak or non-existent bridges. We need to do more.
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