Kaabogu Residents Plead for Government Action as Flooded Bagolong Stream Cuts off Vital Road to Nadowli

The residents of Kaabogu, a farming community in the Nadowli/Kaleo district, have expressed deep frustration over the government's neglect, particularly regarding the deplorable condition of the road connecting them to Nadowli, the district capital.

The critical issue is the Bagolong stream, which frequently overflows during the rainy season, rendering the road impassable and isolating the community.

This situation forces men to wade through the water in minimal clothing, while pregnant women and the sick face life-threatening challenges due to the lack of access to health facilities.

The people of Kaabogu depend heavily on the Nadowli market for essential food items and healthcare, yet the flooded Babonlung valley repeatedly cuts off this lifeline.

The Queen Mother of Nator Baanuori, Pognaa Sofia Kunfire, lamented the government's inaction and called for the urgent construction of a bridge to ease movement during the rainy season.

“I thought our government was there to assuage our plight, but now all we say falls on deaf ears. Why can’t they construct this bridge to facilitate our movements during the rainy season, especially for our pregnant women and the sick?” she said with an emotional tone.

Community development advocate Ignacious Taduri, who organised a community engagement event, highlighted the despair among residents, noting that despite over two decades of appeals for a bridge across the Bagolong valley, no progress has been made.

“When I took the initiative to have this engagement, many of our people said nothing good would come out of it because for over two decades we have been asking for a bridge to be constructed across the Bagolung valley, but to no avail,” he said.

Mr. Francis Ere, representing the chief of Kaabogu, the NDC and NPP, warned the community, warning that without infrastructural improvements, voter turnout in the 2028 elections may be affected.

“I used to be a branch chairman for the NDC for many years before I joined the NPP in anticipation of development, but there’s virtually nothing good in this community to show for our votes,” he emphasized.

The Bagolong valley route is the shortest and most crucial link from Kaabogu to Nadowli and serves several neighboring communities, including Chari Sombo, Kuntali, Kuuri, and Kpaala.

Residents and advocates urge government and development partners to intervene by constructing the Bagolong Bridge, which would open up Kaabogu and surrounding areas to much-needed development and improve access to markets and healthcare.