The Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhassan Suhuyini, has commissioned a new bridge over the Offin River in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region, stressing that the project symbolises more than just the unveiling of infrastructure.
He said the completion of the bridge marked the restoration of safety, the renewal of hope, and the fulfilment of a government pledge to the community.
The new structure replaces a weakened bridge that had become a major risk to commuters, particularly farmers transporting produce from Kotokuom and nearby communities to urban centres.
Years of wear from heavy-duty trucks had left the old bridge severely damaged, with cracked beams, broken supports, and unsafe pillars.
The Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza on March 3, ordered its closure after engineers declared it unsafe.
“We are gathered here not just to commission a piece of infrastructure. We are here to celebrate the restoration of safety, the renewal of hope, and the fulfilment of a promise made to this community,” Mr Suhuyini said at the commissioning.
He recalled how the bridge had become a symbol of danger and a “death trap that threatened livelihoods,” noting that images and videos of its deteriorating state shared on social media intensified public calls for urgent intervention.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, joined Mr Suhuyini to formally hand over the project to the community.
The completion of the bridge, he added, underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring safe and reliable infrastructure that supports both economic activity and the wellbeing of citizens.