Sekondi, Aug.29 GNA - Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister= , has cut the sod for work to begin on the construction of a 4.8 million dollar bridge over the Essei Lagoon at Bakado, Sekondi.

The bridge would replace the old one, which was constructed around 192= 0 and China Railway Wuju Corporation is the contractor of the project. Mr Aidoo said Sekondi is not as developed as Takoradi, its twin-city and hoped the construction of the bridge would bring the two cities closer. He said the region would greatly benefit from the loan the government obtained from China.

He said other projects earmarked for the region include the developmen= t of railway facilities and construction of a gas processing plant. He urged the people and the media to help monitor the progress of work on the bridge so that money invested in the project would not go waste. Mr Emmanuel Degbotse, Director of Deoke Consult, consultants for the project, said the project would be completed in a year. Mr Degbotse said the bridge is designed to last for 120 years and woul= d have two walkways on both sides.