By: Ben Brooks
Residents of the Tienpo Administrative District are facing renewed challenges following the collapse of the River Nur, Nyonken Bridge caused by severe flooding.
The bridge was a vital connection for more than 25 towns and gold mining operations in the Tienpo statutory district, and its destruction has left many localities isolated, making transportation and trade with surrounding regions increasingly difficult.
The incident is the second instance of flooding damaging the Tienpo Nyonken Bridge, but this time, it has completely destroyed the wooden structure, rendering it impassable.
Local residents are growing increasingly concerned that the government may have overlooked the pressing need for repairs to the River Nur, Tienpo Nyonken Bridge.
In late November 2024, the Ministry of Public Works assessed the bridge after numerous local media reports highlighted the daily hardships faced by residents.
The government proposed exploring solutions, including the replacement of the damaged log bridge with a more robust iron (Bailey) bridge.
However, many community members, especially business owners, report a lack of updates or advancements since the evaluation team left.
Residents are calling on the Government of Liberia, particularly the Ministry of Public Works, to take swift action to rebuild the bridge and restore vital access to affected areas.
“We are pleading with the government for urgent intervention regarding the repair or reconstruction of the bridge, as conditions have worsened,” said local business owner Sara Johnson.
“It is extremely dangerous for motorbikes to navigate even the small stable section, especially with the rainy season approaching. We need the government to understand the urgency of our plight; our lives depend on it,” Ms. Johnson emphasized.
The compromised River Nur Bridge serves as a vital link for the three southeastern counties of Grand Kru, Sinoe, and River Gee.
Constructed in 2017 by Alexander Poure, Representative of Electoral district 1, River Gee County, the bridge gave way in September 2024 due to excessive rainfall, which has hindered transportation in a densely populated gold mining region known as Tienpo Nyonken.
In response to the situation, Rev. J. Henry Baysah, who led the assessment team from the Ministry of Public Works, reassured the community that there are plans to build a more robust iron bridge to prevent such incidents in the future but up to now there has been no sign of progress from the Government.
The public works team were joined by River Gee County Superintendent Milk T. Swengbe and other local officials during the evaluation process.
