Nkwanta SHS student drowns after collapse of Gyelen Bridge

A 17-year-old second-year student of Nkwanta Senior High School in the Oti Region has drowned after falling into the overflowing river at Gyelen Bridge in the Bontibor farming community.

The tragedy occurred on Monday afternoon while the student was returning from the farm. Heavy rains in recent weeks had washed away the bridge, leaving the community cut off from commercial and social activities.

The bridge, built barely a year ago, reportedly gave way due to the use of inferior materials, despite repeated warnings from residents about its poor quality.

Confirming the incident to Adom News, Frank Yeboah, Assembly Member for the Bontibor/Salifukrom Electoral Area, blamed the contractor for negligence and poor standards.

He stressed that the collapse had put the lives of residents at risk, with the tragic death of the student serving as a painful reminder.

“The bridge was poorly constructed. Nobody in the community had the mandate to enforce quality standards, and now a young life has been lost,” Mr. Yeboah lamented.

He appealed to the government and relevant agencies to urgently construct a durable bridge to reconnect the community and allow farmers to transport produce to nearby markets.

He further warned that pregnant women, the sick, and others in need of urgent care remain stranded because access to hospitals has been cut off.

Nana Obirikiti Amanado, Paramount Chief of the Ntrubo North Traditional Area and grandfather of the deceased, expressed deep sorrow over the incident.

He revealed that the community had lodged several complaints for more than a year about the bridge’s structural weaknesses, but authorities failed to act.

“We raised concerns about the quality of materials used and appealed to the contractor and government, yet nothing was done.

Now, we have lost a precious life,” the chief said. He urged government, particularly President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC administration, to take immediate steps to address the situation, stressing that continued neglect could lead to further loss of lives.

He also highlighted the poor state of roads linking Brewaniase, Pusupu, Bontibor, and Salifu-Krom, which he said are endangering lives and worsening the community’s hardship.

Residents of Bontibor are now calling for swift intervention to prevent future tragedies and restore safe passage for the community.