By Emmanuel Bamfo 
Danger looms over Ankobra Bridge, and residents of Jomoro and Ellembelle are crying out for immediate help. The 134-meter concrete structure at Sanwoma sits on the vital N1 Highway, connecting Ghana to Ivory Coast and the wider West African sub-region.
Heavy-duty transit trucks keep pounding the road daily, making the whole structure weak and shaky. Deep potholes have eaten away the asphalt, exposing rusty iron rods that directly threaten drivers and pedestrians.
German contractors built this bridge between 1965 and 1967 under President Kwame Nkrumah. It has not seen any major structural overhaul for decades, transforming a critical trade link into a serious safety hazard.
Community representative Khadeeja Hassan-Yankey warned the Ghana News Agency that the route has no viable alternative. If the bridge fails, international commerce along the Abidjan-Elubo-Lagos corridor will freeze completely.
Parliament previously approved a 65 million pound loan facility for key bridge works across the country. However, missing execution left this critical asset over the River Ankobra hanging in a dangerous state.
Cabinet reportedly approved repair plans recently, but local leaders insist bureaucratic delays must end now. The Ministry of Roads and Highways must move heavy machinery to Sanwoma before an avoidable disaster occurs.