Collapse of a bridge linking Rumuche Community to the Kalabari Road, has left most farmers, residents and road users stranded, disrupting access to the Kalabari Kingdom and other business areas.
The bridge which collapsed on Monday, was attributed to the erosion caused by incessant rainfall that led to heavy flooding in the area.
The Emohua Youth President in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, Mr Wisdom Jasper Stephen, lamented that, “the collapse has created significant difficulties for residents, particularly those who depend on the road for access to their farms and communities.
“I commend the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area, Chidi Lloyd, and the former Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oha Sergeant Chidi Awuse, for their swift intervention following the incident.
“The local government chairman visited the scene on Tuesday and promised immediate action to restore access along the road.
“A manager from Berger, the company working on the road, has also visited the site to assess the damage and determine how to address the collapsed bridge.”
The youth leader further explained that “the collapse was not caused by the use of substandard construction materials, the bridge was already in place before Berger commenced work on the road.
“The recent flooding generated a strong flow of water that eroded the area around the bridge after the existing drainage channel became inadequate to contain the volume of water.
“Five to six metres of the bridge collapsed because of erosion. The road is our access road to our farms. Even Kalabari people and some of our people who live across the bridge have no way to pass through.
“The flooding had altered the natural flow of water around the bridge, resulting in erosion that eventually weakened and caused the structure to collapse.”
