The 77-year-old Amoaku steel bridge, which spans the River Samre near Samreboi in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region, has collapsed after a fully-loaded tipper truck, carrying over 700 bags of cocoa from Mumuni to Samreboi, capsized into it.
The collapse has completely destroyed the bridge, which had already been partially damaged earlier this year.
The bridge, which had undergone repairs just two months ago in September after being initially damaged by a truck carrying heavy machinery, was unable to withstand the weight of the overloaded truck.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the long-term structural integrity of the bridge, which has been under increasing pressure due to the weight of heavy vehicles.
Constructed in 1947 by Africa Timber and Plywood (now SAMARTEX), the Amoaku Bridge, located on the Mumuni Camp-Prestea road, has not undergone any major repairs since its initial construction.
Over the decades, the metal spokes have become visibly rusty and misaligned, weakening the overall structure. Expansion joints have developed noticeable cracks, further compromising its safety.
Originally built to support the transportation of timber, the bridge has for years been a critical route for transporting cocoa and other agricultural products to local markets and ports.
However, the aging infrastructure has struggled to cope with the demands of modern heavy traffic, especially articulated trucks hauling cocoa to the Takoradi harbour.
Residents of Amoaku, a cocoa-growing community, are now calling on the government for urgent repairs, fearing that the bridge is a “ticking time bomb” that could lead to a potential disaster.
Joseph Kingsley Armah, the Secretary to the Amoaku Palace, expressed the community’s concerns, stating that the bridge’s current condition has significantly reduced its ability to safely handle heavy vehicles. “It’s very, very bad.
One day, we will have a disaster on our hands. The over seven-decade-old bridge can no longer handle heavy vehicles like the articulated trucks that haul cocoa from buying centres in this area. It’s not safe for heavy traffic,” Armah warned.
