At Wassa-Akropong
Barely 24-hours after Today reported on the plight of residence of Wassa Akropong in the Western Region who were left to their fate after a torrential rainstorm destroyed their properties, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Wassa Amenfi East District (WAEDA), Mr. Stephen Baidoo-Acheampong, has visited the affected residents to empathize with them.
He noted that the visit was to enable him ascertain the extent of damage caused by the storm in order to make an estimate and also to identify some immediate measures to be taken to address the damage.
He assured the residents of the assembly’s commitment in assisting them with relief items and putting in place other measures to relieve them of their plight.
Accompanying the DCE were officers of NADMO, party executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the constituency and some members of the Assembly.
Speaking in an interview with Today, Mr. Baidoo-Acheampong pointed out that the cost of damage was too much for his outfit to foot and that he will liaise with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to support the assembly in providing roofing for the affected residents alongside some relief items until funds are available to restore the damages.
The DCE also called for an emergency District Security Council (DISEC) meeting to deliberate on how they can refurbish the affected places.
Mr. Baidoo-Acheampong called on the public to adopt the habit of planting more trees and seek for technical assistance from experts before roofing their buildings, stressing that some of the roofing were not properly done, leading to the unfortunate incident.
When this reporter visited the Amenfiman Model School to assess the situation, it was observed that the Kindergarten (KG) Block had totally collapsed whereas the lower primary to JHS 2 also had minor damages.
Headmistress of the school, Madam Margaret Yeboah, who conducted this reporter round the school, intimated that the damaged structures were posing threat to the KG and lower primary pupils hence a decision to close down that section of the school in the interim.
She announced that they had to suspend their exams because of the situation, adding that the situation has greatly affected academic work.
She lamented the effects of this stressing that it might not augur well for the students, especially the JHS 3 students who would soon write their final exams.
“The situation has made some of the students to play truancy abandoning their books and the classroom.”
The Headmistress therefore prevailed upon the District Assembly (DA), NADMO, corporate and non-governmental organizations, individuals and the general public to come to their aid immediately to make the place accessible by the time school re-opens.
STORY: FROM SETH AMEYAW DANQUAH, WASSA AKROPONG
