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The Old Fadama slum dwellers have asked philanthropists and corporate organizations to build a bridge over the Agbogbloshie drain that runs through the area to the Korle Lagoon to facilitate movement to other neighboring communities.
There is currently a makeshift wooden bridge in ruins, which serves as a link for residents of the densely populated area, also known as Sodom and Gomorrah, to cross to James Town, Korle-Bu and other parts of the city for their economic activities. . at the end of the month.
Most of these people are engaged in collecting plastic waste, trading scrap metal in Agbogbloshie, Ghana’s largest e-waste graveyard, and selling food at Timber and Kokomba markets as their main source of livelihood.
To take advantage of the nearby Accra recycling and composting plant, which serves as a major source of employment for community members, a bridge has been needed to allow easy access to the plant, without which people had they circle the Hansen Road through the Korle-bu area before connecting back to their homes.
Kwabena Kessey, a young man from the area, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said: “We have to walk about 1.5 kilometers to get around the area. This makes life difficult in our attempt to earn a living. Having access to nearby communities is essential for our livelihood ”.
He said that the Korle-Bu Polyclinic was where they had access to health services, but unless a better bridge was built, people would continue to suffer.
Adam Salifu, another resident, said: “The current bridge was built by an individual, who charges us 20p each time we cross, but now it is old and can collapse at any moment.”
Therefore, he called on people, organizations and the government to build a permanent one to facilitate the movement.
Yakubu Abukari, a businessman from Agbobgolish who built the bridge, said he decided to build it in 2016 to give residents of Sodom and Gomorrah easy access to other parts of the city, particularly the Korle-bu University Hospital to access medical care. .
He said it was necessary to provide them with the basic infrastructure that would allow them to work hard and earn a decent living.
Abukari said that although the bridge was a source of livelihood for him because it charged 20 pesewas from its patrons, the government should provide a permanent one to facilitate movement and improve economic activities.
Mr. Muntaka Chasant, a social entrepreneur and philanthropist, who supports youth in the area, said that although Agbogbloshie was an infrastructure poor area with an estimated 80,000 residents, it was a major economic center serving the people of Accra .
“The residents here live in abject poverty and in deplorable conditions, without clean water and adequate infrastructure.”
“This is a classic example of urban poverty. People need a bridge that connects them with the outside world so that they can interact and participate in social and economic activities ”.
Mr. Chasant commended Mr. Abukari for his foresight in building the bridge that had helped reduce residents’ travel time by less than a third of the distance, around 2,070 meters, to access nearby areas and public transportation. .
He expressed the hope that individuals and corporate organizations would come to the aid of the people to support them with basic services to improve their standard of living.
— GNA
