Dozens of school children have been staying home for the past two weeks at Okorase -Mmetiamu and other surrounding farming Communities on the boundaries of Akuapem North and Suhum Municipalities following the collapse of a footbridge.
The pupils are unable to cross the Densu River to attend school in Okorase Community since the collapse of the bridge.
Three school children who attempted to swim the river nearly drowned but for their timely rescue by some farmers around.
Farmers in Okorase, Domeabra, and Mmetiamu and its surrounding communities in Akuapem- North Municipality in Eastern Region on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, embarked on a demonstration over the collapsed wooden footbridge which connects 12 farming communities to market centers in Okorase and Suhum.
The wooden bridge was constructed in 1808 at the cost of £1,680 by a Swiss missionary and civil engineer, Jacob Isliker, on behalf of the enterprising pioneer cocoa farmers who migrated from the Akuapem Mountains mostly Larteh to establish early cocoa farms around the Densu river, collapsed two weeks ago.
The footbridge was featured by Dr. Polly Hill, formerly of the University of Ghana in her book, ‘Migrant Cocoa Farmers of Southern Ghana (1970).In the book, he described the bridge as ‘a splendid and historic landmark that should be preserved as a monument to the business enterprise of the first cocoa farmers due to its uniqueness in Africa.
But for lack of maintenance, the bridge has collapsed rendering hundreds of farmers stranded while their farm produces mostly cassava; plantain and Cocoa are rotting away.
Few farmers capable of swimming swim to cross the Densu river to their farms but are attacked by some dangerous amphibians.
Pregnant women are unable to attend antenatal care
The farmers clad in red attire and red armband under police protection embarked on a demonstration to draw the attention of the government to their predicament.
Nana Oye Asiwaa Apem, the Queen-mother for Okorase said several petitions sent to the Presidency and Akuapem- North Assembly about the poor state of the bridge which needed replacement were not attended to until it collapse which has cut off the communities.
Charles Adu Asinor Assemblymember for Okorase and his colleague Ransford Norvol Assemblymember for Koransang Electoral are under Suhum Municipality said the situation should be treated as an emergency to save farmers, pregnant women, and schoolchildren.
They also want the road constructed to facilitate transportation of farm produce from the farming Communities.
Source: Mybryfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
