Agubie (B/A), April 1, GNA - The Brong-Ahafo Region has had its fair share of national developmental projects under the President Mills administration, Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, the Regional Minister, said on Thursday.

The Minister who was speaking at a sod-cutting ceremony at Agubie in the Wenchi Municipality for the construction of a steel bridge across river Tain, said within the last two years, seven bridges were being built over rivers in various parts of the region at a total cost of GHC5.8 million.

The 45-metre long and eight-metre wide bridge being undertaken at the cost of GHC 829, 810.45 would link Droboso-Agubie in the Wenchi municipality and Badu in the Tain district when completed. The project which started in September 2010 and scheduled to be executed within 18 months, is being undertaken by Progressive Modern Construction (PMC) Limited, an Accra-based road construction firm. The execution of the project followed a disaster that occurred on the river early last year when six basic school children drowned. The six children from Kalaase, a village on Wenchi side of the river bank, died when the canoe they were paddling to school at Badu on the other side, sank.

Mr. Nyamekye Marfo was happy that the construction of the bridge would not only prevent the recurrence of disasters on the river but boost economic activities in the two districts as it would facilitate the movement of people and goods in the area. He asked the contractor to do a good job and complete the work on time= .. Oseadeeyo Abrefa Kwadwo Nketiah VII, Paramount Chief of Wenchi, earlier in a welcoming address, urged the contractor to ensure vigilance and tight security on the site to prevent pilfering of materials such as iron-rods, cement and chippings by the workers.