By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo
Akwa Ibom communities affected by collapsed bridges have called on the State Government to come to their aid by fixing the bridges to improve transportation and economic life of the people.
This is less than three weeks, after the State Assembly Speaker, Aniekan Bassey, ordered the House Committee on Works to visit 16 communities in Ikono Local Government Area following the collapse of a bridge that have cut off the communities from the rest of the state.
A community leader in ONNA Local Government Area who craved anonymity during interaction with newsmen said, collapsed bridges littering across the State in recent times are now becoming death traps due to their abandonment by the government.
He said one of the collapsed bridges in the area Ikot Akpan Mkpe – Ikot Akpa Ekop bridge has been abandoned since it was constructed in the 70’s and provided access to traders in the area have become a shadow of itself while people have been forced to resort to alternative route of longer distance.
Other collapsed bridges in the State during the survey carried out by the Correspondent Chapel were; Nkwot Edem Edet in Ikono LGA, Aka – Ikot Udo Eno in Ibiono LGA and Mbiaso – Ikot Ukpong in Obot Akara Local Government.
Others are; Ikot Inyang Okop – Ikot Ekpang, Asana – Ibianga bridges located in Mkpat Enin LGA, Ibikpe –Mbiakong bridge in Uruan LGA, Ikot Mfon –Ndiya bridge, Afaha Ikot Idem Udo – Ntan bridge in Etinan linking Onna LGA, Mbiaso Enyin Bridge and kot Nsong – Ikot Enyienge Bridge linking Etinan with Mkpat Enin amongst others.
One of the indigenes of the State from Obot Akara Local Government, Mr Michael Umoh who commented on the state of Mbiaso – Ikot Ukpong Bridge told journalists during the visit that, the situation was bad up to a level the community could no longer waited for the government to reconstruct the bridge and resorted to self help.
He expressed worry that, the collapsed bridge had affected the economy of the area so much that, traders from Obot Akara would have to go through a rigorous alternative road before they could go to Ikot Ekpene to either buy or sell goods.
He called on the State Government to help the community by constructing a new bridge adding that, why they could use the road now, is because it was done by a concerned indigene of the community.
Observation during the survey showed that, these bridges/collapsed roads play important role in the State’s economy by providing access to farmers and traders to evacuate their goods to other towns but, their present state is not encouraging thereby posing great danger to the economic survival of the people.
