Chemu Lagoon to get concrete bridge at last

 
Residents at Chorkor Chemu and its environs are in an expectant mood now. Their decade old nightmare will soon be gone.
Two days ago, they had complained bitterly over the danger of crossing the Chemu lagoon without a bridge.
So, the project by the Coastal Development Authority will be a huge relieve in their daily activities.
Background
The Chemu lagoon, one of the heavily polluted water bodies in the national capital, joins the sea at the Chemu Naa, a suburb of Chorkor in Accra.
The lagoon forms the main route allowing easy movement of school children, traders and community members within the Ablekuma South and central constituencies.
In the past
For decade, residents paid between 20-50 pesewas to cross a makeshift bridge on the lagoon, constructed by some youth in the area. Commuters often fell in the lagoon in their attempt to cross the bridge.
To salvage the situation, the MP for Ablekuma West constituency,  Ursula Owusu Ekuful with support from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, constructed a “floating bridge” for the people.
At the commissioning on 10^th January, 2020, the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation professor Frimpong Boateng described the “unique features” of the floating bridge.
“This is designed to withstand the pressure from the flow of the lagoon”, “The plastic barrels at the base of the bridge are filled with air so it can adjust its height to accommodate the rise and fall of the lagoon waters”.
What happened next?
However, barely four months on, the “floating bridge” was washed away after a heavy downpour on the 26^th of April, 2020.
Stranded commuters could not hide their disappointment.
“We were not consulted before the project was done.We told them not to use metals because of the sea breeze here. But they wouldn’t listen to us”, one resident complained.
“The idea of the ‘floating bridge’ was a bad one because the facility could not withstand the volume of the lagoon waters”, another retorted.
“We don’t want any more footbridges here; we want the road constructed with a concrete bridge that would curb the difficulties we are facing over here”, Nii Ayi Kushi II, the Family Head for Chemu Naa community at Chorkor stated.
Government’s response
However, government has responded to the concerns as the Coastal Development Authority is beginning the bridge project for the residents.
A third visit to the area on 28^th April 2020 saw the vicinity cordoned off  with construction tape.
The project comprising of a bridge, a driveway and a pedestrian walkway is expected to be completed in nine months.
 
 


 
 
 
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