Residents of Kenyasi 18 in the Kwabre East Municipality of the Ashanti Region say a collapsed bridge is leaving them stranded whenever it rains, disrupting children's education, cutting access to farms, workplaces and healthcare, and raising fears for their safety.

They say even moderate rainfall causes the river to overflow, making the crossing impossible for days.

"For months, we have not been able to use the bridge," said Moses Boakye. "When it rains heavily, we can't even cross to go to work or school."

He said families sometimes remain trapped in their homes for up to three days before floodwaters subside.

Residents also struggle to transport farm produce and materials, while workers returning home are often forced to wait for hours until the water recedes.

"We appeal to the government to come and help us," he said.

For many residents, the greatest concern is the safety of schoolchildren. Kwadwo Aboagye said residents regularly carry children across the river because the bridge is no longer safe to use.

"We usually carry the kids to cross the river," he said.

He said adults often wait by the riverside after school to help children make the return journey home. "If no one is there to help them, some children cannot even go to school," he said.

The flooding is also affecting farming, he added, with floodwater destroying crops whenever the river overflows.

"Our farms usually get destroyed because the water floods the land and destroys our crops."

Kwadwo said the bridge collapsed about a year ago before being further damaged by heavy rains. He said many families now fear every approaching rainstorm.

"We are always afraid when it looks like it is going to rain."

Safety fears after reported deaths

Another resident, Adama Ibrahim, said some children miss school for days because they cannot cross the river, particularly for families who cannot afford alternative transport.

"Sometimes students don't go to school because when it rains, they don't get safe routes to pass," she said.

Adama said she had heard that two schoolchildren drowned while trying to cross the river after the bridge collapsed. "I heard that two students died in this river because they were on their way to school," she said.

Another resident, Afia, also spoke of two children being swept away after heavy rain destroyed a wooden bridge. "It carried two kids, and we never saw them again," she said.

The reported deaths could not be independently verified at the time of the visit. However, the accounts reflect widespread concern among residents about children's safety whenever the river floods.

Farms, jobs and healthcare disrupted

Beyond education, residents say the damaged bridge is disrupting daily life and livelihoods.

Boakye Moses said transporting farming inputs and harvested produce has become difficult.

Kwadwo said repeated flooding continues to destroy crops.

For Adama Ibrahim, the bridge closure also means longer and more expensive journeys.

"When it rains, it takes us a long journey to get where we are going," she said.

Families who cannot afford transport are often left with few alternatives.

Access to healthcare has also become a challenge. Afia said residents living near the river struggle to reach health facilities because floodwaters prevent both people and vehicles from crossing.

"We can't even visit the hospital because there is no car movement," she said.

She added that many families depend on daily wages but cannot reach their workplaces when the river becomes impassable.

"We can't cross the river to work and get food to feed the family."

Appeal for permanent solution

Resident Kofi Gyewu, popularly known as DJ Poyoyo, said the bridge was originally constructed by the community's chief but is no longer usable during the rainy season.

"When it rains, there is no movement across the bridge. Even cars can't use it," he said.

He said the Kwabre East Municipal Chief Executive had previously visited the community to discuss the problem, but residents were still waiting for action.

Kofi warned that the danger would persist until a permanent bridge is constructed.

"We plead with the government to come and build it for us before more children are carried away," he said.

For now, residents say every rainfall leaves them isolated, waiting for floodwaters to subside before they can reach school, work, farms or healthcare.

They are calling for a permanent bridge to reconnect the community and protect lives.