Residents of Asante Mampong in the Sekyere West Municipality have been left in shock after a 34-year-old woman, identified only as Felicity, was found dead in a large gutter connected to the Abukutoa River.
The Assembly Member for the Abrukutoaso Electoral Area, Hon. Alexender Kwabena Asamoah, confirmed the incident in an interview with Bigstuffmediagh. He explained that the deceased is believed to have attempted to cross a damaged bridge during a heavy downpour but was swept away by floodwaters.
Her body was later discovered at about 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night following the rains.
By Monday morning, residents had gathered at the scene, many expressing grief and concern over the recurring danger posed by the damaged bridge.
Hon. Asamoah noted that this is not the first such incident in the area. He said repeated appeals to the government to repair the bridge have yielded little response, despite the risks it poses to residents.
According to him, several reports have also been made to officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), but efforts to secure urgent intervention have so far been unsuccessful.
He warned that unless swift action is taken, more lives could be at risk, stressing that the dangers associated with the deteriorating infrastructure are well known to authorities.
The body of the deceased has since been retrieved, after which traditional rites were performed to allow for its transfer to the morgue.