Residents along the Kwaobaah–Nyanoa–Mepom stretch in the Upper West Akyem District of the Eastern Region have been left stranded after a 78-year-old concrete bridge collapsed, a vital link connecting several farming and trading communities.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, June 16, has effectively cut off a major transportation route used daily by commuters, traders, and farmers, forcing residents to rely on longer, more difficult alternative routes, Adom News' Kwasi Azor reported.

According to residents, the structure had shown clear signs of deterioration for years, with repeated concerns raised over its safety. However, they say no major rehabilitation works were undertaken prior to its eventual collapse.

The disruption has severely affected movement within the area, with farmers struggling to transport produce to market centres and traders facing delays and increased transportation costs.

Some residents described the bridge as a lifeline linking communities across the Upper West Akyem District, parts of the Central Region, and Greater Accra, warning that its collapse has deepened economic pressure on already vulnerable households.

Speaking to affected residents, particularly women in the area, they lamented the impact on daily life and commerce, stressing that the loss of the bridge has exposed long-standing concerns about the maintenance of ageing infrastructure in rural communities.

They are calling on the authorities to urgently intervene to restore access, either through temporary measures or swift reconstruction, to ease the hardship currently faced by residents and prevent further economic disruption.

Local leaders and residents continue to appeal for immediate government attention as the community grapples with the fallout of the collapse.