Collapsed Bugri Bridge claims woman, baby

On Sunday, August 23, 2026, a collapsed bridge in Bugri, a suburb of Tempane in the Upper East Region of Ghana, tragically claimed the lives of a woman and her two-month-old baby who were crossing the bridge on a motorbike. This incident brings the total number of fatalities at the bridge to three. Last month, a young man also perished while attempting to cross the same bridge, which had been inundated by heavy rains.

Residents have expressed frustration over what they perceive as the sluggish response of the Tempane District Assembly to rehabilitate the bridge and ensure safer passage for people, goods, and services. District Chief Executive (DCE) Joseph Mbilla confirmed the incident, stating that the deceased woman was attempting to cross the bridge with her two children when she lost control and crashed into the structure, resulting in their deaths. The older child survived the accident.

Mbilla noted that the bridge's collapse has claimed the life of a young man the previous month, who was returning from Bawku. As of now, the death toll at the Bugri Bridge stands at three. The District Assembly had previously blocked access to the bridge, but some road users ignored the directive, causing it to be reopened. Following Sunday's incident, the assembly temporarily blocked the bridge again while a contract was awarded for the construction of a temporary passage. Plans are also underway to build a permanent bridge once the rains subside.

Mbilla urged road users to avoid using the bridge until the temporary passage is established, emphasizing the assembly's commitment to addressing the critical issue of bridge safety in the region. The deceased have since been buried.