Repair footbridge at Nogahill- Residents

People living close to the damaged footbridge at Nogahill on the N1 Highway in Accra have called on the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to, as soon as possible, fix the bridge to forestal any mishap from happening.

They described the state of the bridge as dangerous and a threat to life.

According to unconfirmed reports, the footbridge got damaged when it was hit by a truck last Thursday evening.

Some of the residents also claimed that some damage was done to the footbridge last December by some overloaded trucks and called on the GHA to carry out regular maintenance works on footbridges across the country and also strictly enforce the axle load regime.

Residents

Mr Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, who claimed to be present when the footbridge was damaged last Thursday, told the Daily Graphic that a truck carrying an excavator from the Dzorwulu Junction towards the Achimota Forest caused the damage.

He said the driver of the truck bolted after the incident.

A taxi driver, Mr Sampson Agyiri, also complained about the state of the bridge and questioned the kind of materials used in constructing it.

A trader who gave her name only as Aisha complained to the Daily Graphic that while it was not safe for her to use the bridge, crossing the road was equally dangerous.

When the Daily Graphic examined the footbridge, it was seen that many of the concrete slabs on it were broken and worn out and there were cracks in the middle of the bridge.

Statement

Meanwhile, the GHA, in a statement issued in Accra yesterday, said it would soon repair the footbridge.

The statement, signed by the Chief Executive of the GHA, Mr Ernest Kingsley Arthur, said “a contractor is presently mobilising to execute the works”, adding that the works would be completed in three days.

It assured the public that the current state of the footbridge posed no risk to public safety.