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The residents in a statement by Denwi Adunga Joshua, lamented that since the bridge collapsed in 2014, affected communities in the local government area have suffered loss of lives, economic decline, and deteriorating health.
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Residents of Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi have been counting their losses following the collapse of Oguma-Sheria Bridge, also known as Akpada Dodo Bridge.
The residents in a statement by Denwi Adunga Joshua, lamented that since the bridge collapsed in 2014, affected communities in the local government area have suffered loss of lives, economic decline, and deteriorating health.
According to the residents, the bridge links Oguma which is the headquarters of Bassa Local Government with Sheria, the commercial hub in where people from within the local government area, Kogi East and other neighbouring areas do business.
They said before the bridge collapsed, the area was busy, not only on Sheria Market days but every day as businessmen and women flooded in daily with vehicles to carry farm produce they had bought. Unfortunately, that has been truncated after the bridge collapsed, they said.
Oguma-Sheria Bridge which collapsed on October 1, 2014, is said to have cut off the affected communities in the local government area from other parts of the state and beyond.
Residents lamented that the situation has badly affected the economy of the area.
“After the collapse of the bridge in 2014, till date, there has been an unending series of quagmires and setbacks in the land (Bassa),” one of the affected residents stated.
“Drastic drop in the economy and revenue of the local government.”
Another resident said, “As a result of the collapsed bridge, people from the western part of the local government as well as other local governments in the state have been unable to come for commercial activities.
“The Sheria Market is not only patronised by people of Bassa Local Government or Kogi State alone but also people from neighbouring states including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“Many lives and property worth millions of naira are lost every year since the collapse of the bridge. The wooden bridge constructed by the communities (Oguma and Sheria) do get broken down especially during rainy seasons. And this has caused so much loss of lives and property.
“There are students who live in Sheria and school in Oguma. As well, there are students from Oguma who go to school in Sheria. The aftermath of the collapse of the bridge is that it has been a challenge to cross over to either side of the river for school, especially during rainy seasons. During dry seasons the students manage to cross the river with their legs, this has to do with those who have the courage to do so.
“Majorly, people from Sheria and other eastern parts of the local government do come for medical care in Oguma, but since the collapse of the bridge, this has been hindered, thus, many suffer ill health till they die of it.
“There are many government workers and farmers who pass from either side of the river to their working places but since the collapse of the bridge, this has been a great challenge. Many of those activities have been derailed.”
They further explained that the administration of a former governor of the state, Idris Wada started reconstructing the bridge but that it was abandoned after he left office.
“Two successive administrations which are the administrations of the present governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, have come and almost gone, yet, nothing has been done on the bridge.
“The recent collapse of the bridge on August 18th gave birth to the widespread news as the people can no longer hold their cries within the limits of the local government or state but for the country and world to see their sorrowful state and help them.
“The local, state and federal government representatives have paid deaf ears and left the people to continually stuffer. They only come when it is time to seek the people’s mandate to be elected into various positions.
“We are calling on the local Government, state government, federal government, non-governmental organisations and the good people of Nigeria to come to the aid of the good people of Bassa Local Government Area.”
