Collapsed bridge leads to drowning of 2 persons in River Samre

Two persons have died after drowning in the Samre river at Amoaku in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region.

Also, two pregnant women who could not cross the river are on record to have delivered their babies at the brink of the river.

These occurrences are as a result of the collapse of the steel bridge on the river in December 2024.

Assemblyman for ‘Woman No Good’ Electoral Area, Alhaji Azure Suleman, who disclosed this information to 3News.com said that “tragically, we have lost two persons who were trying to cross the river via a makeshift wooden bridge which was constructed by members of the community following the collapse of the main one”.

He mentioned also that, “two pregnant women delivered their babies just at the banks of the river because they could not cross the river to access the Samartex Hospital”.

Accessing the makeshift bridge is a dangerous venture for residents, particularly school children.

Residents of the area who are mainly farmers are also worried that they are not able to cart their food crops to market centers.

Kwasi Anim, a farmer, told this reporter that “it has become impossible to send crops to the market because vehicles can no longer cross the bridge and tricycles that can access the makeshift bridge also can’t carry heavy loads”.

The Samreboi district has consistently maintained its first position on the Ghana Cocoa Board’s highest producer district’s leaderboard for seven consecutive times.

The situation of the bridge will make it difficult for communities such as Woman No Good, Mumuni, Wura Mu Nwansena, Tie Nyame Asem, Torompang, Prestea Nkwanta among others to cart their cocoa in the upcoming crop season.

The assemblyman said, “it will be virtually impossible to cart our cocoa especially when the rains set in because the river will definitely overtop the wooden bridge”.

As a matter of urgency, he wants government to take steps in reconstructing the bridge.