The prolonged closure of the road bridge serving the Ho Technical University (HTU) community is taking a heavy toll on businesses and transport operators, with traders reporting sharp declines in sales and tricycle operators struggling with rising operational costs.
The bridge, which collapsed several months ago, serves as an important link for students, residents and businesses within the university enclave.
Although rehabilitation works have commenced, the slow pace of construction has forced commuters to rely on lengthy alternative routes, disrupting movement and reducing customer traffic to businesses along the affected stretch.
Tricycle operators, who provide a major means of transportation for students, said the diversion had significantly increased their fuel consumption and travelling time.
Calvin, a tricycle operator, said the longer and winding routes had increased their operating costs while their inability to significantly adjust fares had squeezed their profit margins.
He said operators were spending more on fuel and spending longer periods transporting passengers to and from the university, making the business increasingly difficult to sustain.
Traders along the affected road are also feeling the impact, as the disruption has diverted the steady stream of students and other commuters who previously patronised their businesses.
Dzigbordi, a trader, said students constituted the bulk of her customers but the closure of the road had drastically reduced pedestrian traffic.
“Now that the road is blocked, no one passes here anymore,” she said, adding that sales had fallen sharply and businesses were struggling to survive.
Students have meanwhile been forced to adopt difficult alternatives to reach campus.
Some students told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that they had resorted to lengthy detours, while others had been compelled to pass through private properties to avoid delays in getting to lectures.
Freeman, a student, described the situation as unacceptable, saying some students were forced to walk through private homes and compounds to reach campus on time.
Joshua Ayayi, a resident and regular user of the road, also described the disruption as highly inconvenient.
Residents and members of the university community are therefore appealing to the Ho Municipal Assembly and relevant road authorities to intensify efforts to ensure the rehabilitation is completed promptly.
They said restoring the bridge would not only ease the daily movement of students and residents but also revive economic activity and provide relief to traders and transport operators whose livelihoods depend heavily on traffic within the university community.
The community is consequently urging the contractor to accelerate the remaining works and restore normal traffic flow to the area.
