Thousands of residents of Kongo and surrounding communities in the Tempane District of the Upper East Region have been cut off from the rest of the district after a major bridge linking the community to Basyonde and the district capital collapsed following a heavy downpour at dawn last Friday.
The collapse of the bridge, which serves as the only reliable access route connecting Kongo, neighbouring communities in the Tempane District capital and parts of Togo, has brought transport, trade and access to essential services to a halt, leaving residents stranded.
The incident comes barely three weeks after concerns were raised over the deteriorating condition of the bridge during a visit by the Tempane District Chief Executive (DCE), Joseph Mbilla Ayaaba.
Although temporary repairs were carried out to keep the bridge motorable after the DCE’s visit, the latest rains washed away the weakened structure.
Residents say the collapse has effectively isolated Kongo, as floodwaters have also rendered alternative routes impassable.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, a resident, Aminu Wahabu, described the situation as devastating, saying the community had become completely inaccessible.
He explained that the bridge served as the main commercial corridor linking Kongo to the rest of the district and that its collapse had brought economic and social activities to a standstill.
Mr Wahabu further stated that a relative who was being referred to a health facility last Friday morning could not be transported across the collapsed bridge and later died after the family was forced to return home.
The Assembly Member for the area, Fatawu Moni Yakubu, corroborated the account, stating that the deceased was being prepared for burial.
Mr Yakubu said although there were alternative routes, they all crossed rivers which had overflowed following the rains, making them equally unusable.
"As of now, we are just stuck.
There is no route for us to use," he stressed.
He appealed to the government to intervene urgently, warning that residents would continue to endure severe hardship unless access was restored immediately.
Assembly seeks support
The Tempane DCE, Joseph Mbilla Ayaaba, acknowledged the severity of the situation, emphasising that the collapse of the bridge had completely cut off Kongo and surrounding communities from the district.
He explained that although the bridge had been in a weakened state for about four years, recent heavy rainfall had worsened the situation.
According to him, the district assembly had undertaken emergency gravelling works upon assuming office to keep the bridge passable throughout the rainy season.
Mr Mbilla said the reconstruction of the bridge was beyond the district assembly's financial capacity adding that the incident had been reported to the appropraite authorities for action.
