Main culvert
on Cape Coast Hospital road damaged
Cape Coast, May 14,
Ghanadot/GNA – The wings supporting the culvert on
the Fosu Lagoon caved in on Thursday night, making it
impossible for vehicles to use the main Cape Coast District
Hospital.
The lagoon had over flown its banks over the weekend,
flooding some shops at Siwdu, a suburb of Cape Coast and
some residences at OLA.
The victims pressurized the Oguaa Traditional Council to
have the entrance of the lagoon desilted for the water to
flow into the sea and it was done.
Eye witnesses the GNA spoke to said the force of the excess
water from the lagoon into the sea was so great that the
side wings of the culvert cracked while part of the street
at the left side of the culvert caved in, damaging a
pipeline that serves part of the Metropolis.
At the moment commuters to OLA and St Augustine’s will have
to alight at the “Bakaano” side of the road and walk over to
join another vehicle at the far end of the culvert to
continue their journey.
Residents were seen in the morning searching for water due
to the cut in water supply to the area.
Mr Eric Amoah, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Engineer of the
Department of Urban Roads, said the force of the water from
the lagoon damaged wing walls.
He said the culvert on the Fosu Lagoon was built about
four-and-a-half years ago to replace a weak one and that the
contractor detached the wing walls and aprons from the main
culvert to provide adequate footing.
Mr Amoah said the main culvert was intact and that it was
the wing walls that were broken.
He said the department had contacted the Director of Bridges
to assess the situation and to give directions for its
repairs as a short term measure and suggested that the
culvert be replaced by a bridge in future.
Residents have expressed concern over the rampant damage of
the culvert and called for a lasting solution.
Madam Ama Benyiwa-Doe, the Regional Minister, has visited
the area and appealed to the Department of Urban Roads to
repair the damage.
GNA
