The Loulo Bridge in Beni, in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is currently in an alarming state of deterioration. It was the civil society of the Baswagha Madiwe group which sounded the alarm, highlighting the visible cracks in the central concrete of the infrastructure.
This bridge is of major socio-economic importance for the region, connecting the villages of Madiwe to the town of Beni. Its degradation could have disastrous consequences for the local population, who would then be forced to make a detour via Mambena, Visiki and Maboya to reach Beni.
The situation is all the more worrying as certain heavy goods vehicles, far exceeding the capacity of the bridge, continue to use it, thus endangering everyone’s safety. Despite the presence of services supposed to control the tonnage of vehicles, they are often limited to collecting the passage tax, thus neglecting the risks involved.
Faced with this critical situation, civil society is calling for urgent rehabilitation of the Loulo bridge. The security and mobility of the inhabitants of Baswagha Madiwe, as well as the economic development of the region, are at stake.
It is crucial that the authorities quickly take the necessary measures to guarantee the repair and security of this structure, in order to avoid any collapse which would negatively impact the daily lives of residents.