Long queues at Senchi and Akrade following breakdown of ferry
Hundreds of travellers to and from the Volta Region through the Senchi and Akrade landing sites were reported to have been stranded at both ends because of the alleged breakdown of one of the ferries last Sunday, March 23, 2014.
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Long winding queues of vehicles were reported to have formed at both sides, waiting to embark the ferries.
According to eyewitnesses, only one of the two ferries was in operation, resulting in unnecessary long delays as impatient motorists and passengers grumbled.
Togbe Koku Tsru II, who was caught up in the melee and had to join a security convoy to be able to cross from Akrade to Senchi, recounted the frustration travellers using the route had to go through.
He said he met a long queue almost at Juapong and was lucky to be allowed to join a security convoy before he could embark the ferry, “and we were the last to cross after spending almost three hours”.
Alternative route
Togbe Tsru wondered why the alternative route from Adidome to Ho was not properly worked on before the closure, since the idea to close the bridge was not an impromptu thing.
“From Accra to Adidome is okay but from a little after Adidome to Ho is terrible. Using this alternative route you would be spending over four hours instead of the three hours, especially during this time that it is raining,” he said.
Ghana Highway Authority
However, the Public Affairs Manager of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Mr Nobert Quarmor, even though admitting there was one ferry operating for sometime last Sunday, explained that there was “a small crack” on the metal part of the ferry that needed to be repaired.
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Giving further explanation, he said the crack came about because of low tide when the ferry attempted to land, which led to its suspension, “but that did not take a long time. Now both ferries are working as we talk”.
Use of alternative route
Mr Quarmor encouraged commuters to try and resort to the alternative route, “though that is a little longer”, and disagreed with claims that the alternative route was ‘terrible’.
He said the use of the alternative route was becoming necessary following the issue of low tide, “which we have no absolute control over”.
Apology
While apologising for the inconvenience the alternative routes to the bridge was causing, he said it had become necessary to close the bridge because it could no longer wait, “and we don’t want any disaster to occur”.
However, an official of HAG Consult, the local consultant of Janson Bridging Ltd, builders of the ferries, said the incident was rather as a result of low tide and not an issue of a crack on any part of the ferry.
Writer’s Email: severious.dery@graphic.com.gh