A steel bridge at Saikope-Mepe, in the North Tongu District, along Juapong-Adidome road has collapsed under the weight of a heavy-duty truck.

The trailer, fully loaded with salt believed to be over the recommended maximum weight of 25 tonnes, was crossing the bridge spanning over the Aklakpa River late in the night on Thursday (January 25) when the structure crumbled.

The driver and the mate escaped unhurt.

The North Tongu District Chief Executive (DCE), Divine Osborn Kwadzo Fenu, the district capital, Battor on Friday (January 26), after visiting the accident scene said there was now an urgent need for a new bridge over the river.

For now, he said, all motorists had been directed to detour through Dadome, to Adidome in the Central Tongu District, and then to Juapong.

Challenge

He described the situation as a huge challenge to the district, which was yet to recover fully from the ravages of the recent floods which hit the area as a result of the spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong dams.

He said all relevant stakeholders have been informed about the incident, adding swift efforts were underway to seek a remedy to the situation.

Meanwhile, the driver, Enoch Wakpal, and mate, Douglas Obeng are assisting the police in investigations.

It later emerged that the truck, which was carrying 600 bags of salt, each weighing 25kilogrammes, was travelling from Sege to the northern part of the country that night.

The Juapong-Adidome road is a very important link between the North and Central Tongu districts.