cameroun

 :Governor Eyeya Zanga took the decision to avoid accidents on the collapsing bridge.

Owing to a deep hole of about nine meters and about seventy centimeters in diameter at the right end of Ombe Bridge from Mutengene, traffic over the bridge has been suspended by the South West Governor, Eyeya Zanga Louis.

The hole was noticed at 2 p.m. on the 11th of April. According to Balungeli Confiance Ebune, Divisional Officer of Tiko visiting the bridge at 10 a.m. yesterday 12th April, repairs will soon be carried on the bridge.

On Mutengene and Limbe ends of the bridge, vehicles queued up yesterday. Petrol tankers and trucks carrying palm nuts heading for CDC oil mill in Idenau packed by the river side.

However, a vehicle of less ten seven tons drove cross the German bridge that was constructed since 1911 and which is located north of the collapsed bridge. While the vehicles crossed over the bridge, passengers walked cross another bridge constructed in 1972, some carrying their handy luggage to join their vehicles on the other side of the river.

"What wonders me is how can a bridge constructed in 1911 is still in use whereas that of 1972 now needs repairs!" one of the pedestrians questioned. Controllers should be brought to book for accepting the contracts of the road construction which was not well executed, another passenger commented.

For Mr. Akwo Solomon, a Limbe - based civil engineer, the hole found on the bridge is due to long term circulation eroding the lower layer of the soil when water overflows. But, the ordinary man feels that the depression on the bridge where water used to accumulate is responsible for the collapse.