Amanase Appeals for Urgent Intervention as River Yaataa Bridge Collapse Cuts Off Communities

By: Nana Kwasi Roka

The complete collapse of the River Yaataa bridge in Amanase in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region, has plunged the community and its surrounding settlements into a severe crisis – cutting the main road into two and disrupting every aspect of social and economic life. What was once a dependable crossing linking the Amanase township to Aboabo and several vital farming communities now lies in ruins, leaving thousands stranded and livelihoods threatened.

A Farm-Rich Community Brought to a Standstill

Amanase is renowned across Ghana for producing original, tasty gari, alongside cocoa, tomatoes, pepper, maize, cassava, cocoyam, coconut, and numerous staple crops. These commodities form the backbone of the town’s vibrant agricultural economy.

But with the River Yaataa bridge now completely broken, movement of goods and people has been severely disrupted:

• Cocoa cannot be transported to buying centers
• Gari producers are unable to deliver orders
• Buyers and transport operators avoid the town entirely

Farmers say the collapse has created the worst transportation barrier they have experienced in decades.

Communities Cut Off, Daily Movement Distorted

The collapse has isolated not only Aboabo but multiple farming settlements that rely on the River Yaataa crossing for access to schools, markets, health services and commercial activities.

With the road now split in two, residents who must cross from one end of the community to the other have no choice but to meander through the town’s central market. The detour has:

• Significantly increased travel distances
• Created heavy congestion in the marketplace
• Slowed the movement of traders and shoppers
• Introduced new safety risks due to overcrowding and motorbike traffic

“Everyone is forced to pass through the market now,” says a food vendor. “It is difficult and dangerous at night but there is no other way.”

Businesses Struggling to Stay Afloat

Local businesses across Amanase are feeling the full impact of the broken bridge:

• Shops report drastically reduced patronage
• Mobile money operators see fewer transactions
• Market women cannot transport their produce
• Cocoa buyers no longer pass through the town
• Tricycles and trucks avoid the enclave entirely
• The congestion created by the detour worsens the slowdown, leaving many business owners worried about long-term survival.

Humanitarian and Safety Concerns Rising

• Beyond the economic cost, the collapse poses serious human risks:
• Schoolchildren now walk longer, unsafe routes
• Pregnant women struggle to reach the only health facility in the town.
• The elderly and disabled face severe mobility challenges
• Emergency vehicles cannot access certain homes and farmlands with ease.
• Flooding during rainfall increases the danger around the collapsed area

Parents say they fear for their children’s safety, especially on rainy days.

Cocoa and Food Production Under Serious Threat

Farmers lose money daily due to delays and forced price reductions

The slowdown has placed the entire agricultural season at risk.

Amanase Leaders Call for Swift Intervention

Community leaders, traditional authorities, youth groups and farmers’ associations continue to appeal for urgent action from government agencies and development stakeholders. They are calling on:

Ayensuano District Assembly, the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, the Ministry of Roads & Highways, NADMO, tthe Member of Parliament for the area, NGOs and corporate institutions to prioritize the immediate reconstruction of the River Yaataa bridge.

Residents emphasize that the situation is no longer a local inconvenience but a critical community emergency affecting education, healthcare, commerce and food supply.

Amanase Deserves Immediate Support

Amanase’s contributions to Ghana’s food and cocoa economy are significant. The hardworking farmers and traders who sustain the region cannot be left disconnected by a collapsed bridge.

Reconstructing the River Yaataa bridge will restore safe movement, reduce dangerous congestion in the market, revive cocoa and food crop transport, boost local business and trade, reconnect the entire communities and protect the vulnerable populations

The plea from Amanase is clear and urgent:
Rebuild the River Yaataa bridge now – livelihoods and lives depend on it.