17-year-old drowns after Gyelen bridge collapse in Oti Region

By: Rebecca Okine

A 17-year-old student of Nkwanta Senior High School in the Oti Region has drowned at Gyelen Bridge in the Bontibor farming community after the bridge collapsed following heavy rains.

The incident has sparked outrage among residents, who say the tragedy could have been avoided if authorities had addressed earlier concerns about the poor state of the bridge.

The victim, a second-year student, reportedly drowned while returning from the farm.

The Gyelen Bridge, constructed barely a year ago, gave way after torrential rains, cutting off residents from markets and essential services.

According to locals, complaints about the poor quality of materials used for the project had been raised several times but went unattended.

Assembly Member for the Bontibor/Salifukrom Electoral Area, Frank Yeboah, confirmed the incident and blamed the death on negligence by the contractor and lack of supervision.

“The bridge was poorly constructed. Now, a young life has been lost because no one listened when the community raised the alarm,” he lamented.

He indicated that swollen rivers have worsened the situation, leaving residents stranded and vulnerable.

Mr Yeboah appealed to government to urgently construct a new bridge, stressing that farmers are unable to transport their produce to market centres, while pregnant women, the sick and schoolchildren struggle to access hospitals and other basic services.

The Paramount Chief of the Ntrubo North Traditional Area, Nana Obirikiti Amanado, who is also the grandfather of the deceased, expressed shock at the tragedy.

He said complaints about the bridge’s condition had been made repeatedly for over 13 months but were ignored by the contractor and the then NPP administration.

The chief has since called on President John Dramani Mahama and the government to act swiftly to prevent further deaths.

He also highlighted that poor road networks from Brewaniase through Pusupu to Bontibor and Salifu-Krom continue to endanger lives and livelihoods.