Alhaji Dauda Bangura
As schools re-opened on Monday 5th October 2020, parents are now worried about the lives of the school going pupils who usually pass through the Congo Cross Bridge to get to their schools which is a very dangerous situation.
Since the truck load of building materials slammed down the Congo Cross Bridge three weeks ago destroying the side railings, the Ministry of Works has not done anything to repair the bridge that was affected by the accident.
Even the side railings that were smashed away by the heavy truck have not been replaced three weeks after the accident.
We need not overstate that thousands of people, both pupils and workers, use this bridge daily to and from school/work not to mention the heavy vehicular traffic and God forbid it if anything happens, the consequences will be devastating and cannot even be imagined.
An engineer intimated this medium on condition of anonymity that the bridge should be wielded to strengthen it instead of being rigged as has been done.
Thank God only one casualty was reported when the Savage Street Bridge collapsed a week before the truck load of building materials went down the Congo Cross Bridge that reported no casualty.
The Ministry of Works should do all necessary to ensure that the Congo Cross Bridge is fortified immediately to prevent any future disaster and anything remotely like that would be a major disaster in the city as the bridge is the main link between the West and city center.
All hands must be put on deck to ensure that the Congo Cross Bridge is secured now to facilitate the free flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic considering the number of schools in that area like the Saint Joseph’s Convent, Methodist Girls High School, Government Technical Secondary School, Freetown Secondary School for Girls and the numerous private and other schools not to mention the building housing the major government offices, Youyi Building.
Mariama Funny who was taking her daughter to school yesterday morning revealed she normally does not take her daughter to school but that with the present situation of the bridge which is completely a death trap for school going pupils who are plying the route, called on the authorities to help save their lives by ensuring that the damaged railings are welded as soon as possible.
After the collapse of the Savage Street Bridge, the Sierra Leone Institute of Engineers published a report in which it stated that four other bridges in the city may collapse if urgent action is not taken to repair them. It’s about a month now nothing has been done to address that critical issue.
Is government waiting for another disaster to happen before going into action?
Please fortify all bridges in the city now.
