Seven farming communities in the Pusiga District are appealing to the government to build a bridge over the Kolpelugu River to link them up with the rest of the District and the Upper East Region.
The communities include Kultamise, Nwari, Kolnaba, Sangabuli, Kamadugu, Pusiga-Tempane and Singkom.
For lack of a bridge over the White Volta tributary, the communities have for a long time been cut off from basic social and economic development opportunities, especially in the rainy season when the River fills up and the people are unable to access other areas across it.
The people are therefore unable to use services such as health, education, business and local governance among other things for as long as the River is full.
Mr Akama Mohammed and Zakari Musah both teachers at the Kultamise Presbyterian Junior High School narrated the ordeal they usually go through before crossing the river to go to school, saying they had to pay GHC5.00 for a canoe ride to school during the past rainy season.
“The performance of pupils in school is declining since many of them are unable to attend classes as regularly as they should, also health services and economic activities suffer during this period which can last for about five months,” Mr Mohammed said.
Miss Habiba Abugri, Humu Mumuni and Fatima Hamidu, all second year students of the Kultamise Government Junior High School who reside at Kolanaba, disclosed they were not able to go to school during the rainy season and were presently struggling to catch up with their colleagues in class.
Farmers from the communities including Mr Mohammed Paeda and Mr Alhassan Tongim, both small holder farmers lamented their inability to transport their farm produce to the district capital where they could get market.
Mr Bukari Jayani Alhassan, the Assembly Member for Nwari Electoral Area, said some stakeholders including the Member of Parliament for the Pusiga Constituency, Hajia Laadi Ayi Ayamba, had been making efforts to address the issue.
He said sometime last year the MP brought contractors to do feasibility studies on the river, but there was no attempt to build a bridge and urged stakeholders to see it as an urgent need for the social and economic development of the people in the affected communities.
Hajia Ayamba, the MP, confirmed that the Ministry of Roads and Highways had carried out feasibility studies on the possibility of constructing a bridge over the River and plans were being made to construct a metal bridge.
She appealed to residents to remain calm as her office was working tirelessly to address the issue to improve education, health delivery, and socio-economic activities in the affected communities.
