Upper East: Severe rainstorm kills boy, injured four in Bongo

 A number of persons are said to have sustained varied degrees of injury in Monday’s devastating rainstorm that swept through parts of the Upper East Region. 

Areas that were badly hit include the Bawku West District, Kassena-Nankana West, Bongo, Talensi and the Pusiga district.

 In the Boko community of the Bongo District, a nine year old boy lost his life in the wake of the storm with at least three others sustaining injuries. 

However, several houses including educational and health facilities had their roof ripped-off, requiring urgent attention by concerned individuals and organizations.

Detailed Report

Most deprived communities of the Upper East Region are still counting their losses following a life threatening rainstorm that hit the region on Monday evening between the hours of 5 and 6.pm. 

The Bongo district is one the worst affected areas. Hundreds have so far been rendered homeless with houses having their roof completely ripped off. 

This includes public facilities such as schools and CHPs compounds. Affected communities include Sambolgo, Boko, Sikabisi, Agomo, Nabisi and Bungu. 

Thirteen schools and three CHPS compounds in Abokobisi, Feo and Sikabisi also had their roofing completely ripped off. 

The Balungu primary school, Sambolgo DA and Junior High school, Bungu primary, Namoo LA primary school and the Asakulsi primary schools were among the many educational institutions were badly hit in the fierce rainstorm. 

A visit by Radio Ghana to some affected areas saw a wanton destruction of structures particularly school buildings. 

Shea trees  and electrical high tension poles were not spared during the heavy storm. 

At Sabolgo, VRA sub-contractors were seen on site trying to replace wires and poles that were affected in the course of the rainstorm. 

The situation at the Sambolgo DA Primary was an eye saw.

 The 6-unit classroom block has had its roof ripped off forcing students to abandon classesl. 

The Headmaster of the school, Jacob Abongo said the institution is left with no option than to wait for assistance from authorities concerned.

 He said the situation has greatly affected academic work. 

 The situation was not different in the affected school especially Namoo and Agomo primary schools. 

At Namoo pupils were seen having a field day because they had no shelter to study under.  

 Some of the students also shared their frustration with Radio Ghana Operations at some health facilities have been grounded, thus affecting quality care delivery. 

 CHP compounds at Abokobisi and Sikabisi are among those affected facilities. 

Moreover, the heavy rains that followed the storm washed away parts of the road network linking the nearby communities. 

This tree fell on the road linking Namoo and Bongo Soe, making it difficult for motorists to ply on that stretch. 

Meanwhile, a rapid assessment team involving officials from the NADMO, the District Directorates of the GES and the Ghana Health Service among other key staff of the Bongo Assembly have conducted a field inspection to assess the extent of damage caused to structures in the affected areas. 

Mr Alexis Ayamdor is the DCE for Bongo and doubles as the Chairman of the District Disaster Management Committee. 

 He said so far 170 households have been affected with a number of people displaced.

 According to him, the assembly is relying on the support of government and other development partners to re-roof the affected buildings and replace structures that were badly damaged. 

Three persons that got injured during the rainstorm have since been treated and discharged from the Bongo District Hospital. 

9 year old Ali Nyabaa, who died during the ravaging storm, was hit by a branch of a mango tree when he tried picking some mango fruits for desert.

                         

    GBC                                                                    END                                                 ISAAC ASARE

Upper East: Bugsongo Primary school faces imminent closure

The Six-Unit Bugsongo Primary School in the Kassena-Nankana West District faces imminent closure following Monday’s devastating rainstorm that hit the community causing extensive damage to the school building.

The headmistress of the school, Philomena Aminzia who disclosed this to Radio Ghana’s Isaac Asare said the unfortunate development has worsened the plight of the school because the institution is already bedevilled with lots of infrastructural challenges spanning from classroom accommodation to inadequate teaching and learning materials.

She said notwithstanding, the school cannot function effectively under the said circumstances, taking into consideration the extent of damage caused to the building.

She lamented that the lives of the students will be endangered if they allow them to study under the structure, which she indicated was currently under the verge of collapse as it has developed deep cracks with the roof completely ripped off.

Madam Aminzia blamed the destruction of the school building to shoddy work exhibited by the contractor that undertook the project four years ago and called for support from concerned individuals and organisations to come to their rescue.

Her assertion was backed by the assemblyman for the Area, Ayeo-Duko who said his earlier comments on the said building was vehemently ignored by the contractor and engineers at the assembly.

Meanwhile, the DCE for Kassena-Nankana West, George Nontera in the company of other officials from the assembly Tuesday took turns to visit the affected areas particularly the school site to assess the extent of damage.

Mr Nontera said the necessary assessment has been done and upon expert advice by the engineers, the assembly was ready to take the necessary action to salvage the situation.

GBC

Bugsongo Primary School hardly hit by heavy rainstorm yesterday

A heavy rainstorm yesterday swept through some communities in the Kassena-Nankana District of the Upper East Region causing extensive damage to schools, houses and other valuables running into thousands of Ghana cedis. 

As a result, residents in the affected households have been rendered homeless.  Worst hit was the Bugsongo community where the roofing of a six-unit classroom block of Bugsongo primary school was completely ripped off.   

The unfortunate event also affected the head teacher’s office, the school’s library and the store room. 

Some trees in the catchment area were also not spared in the process as affected ones were uprooted off ground. 

The Headmistress of the school, Philomena Aminzia who was traumatized by the turn of event told Radio Ghana’s Isaac Asare that the storm took them by surprise and cannot therefore quantify the degree of destruction.

 She described the situation as pathetic considering the infrastructure deficits faced by the school. 

She moreover lamented that already, the school has been battling with inadequate classroom accommodation as well as effective teaching and learning materials. 

Madam Aminzia however appealed to concerned individuals and corporate bodies to come to the aid of the school as 2015/2016 academic year has begun and would affect teaching and learning. 

A government appointee and a former Assemblyman for Bugsongo electoral area, Ayeoh-Duko said the rains also destroyed some private buildings, stressing that information has been sent to the appropriate quarters for prompt action.

 He further stated that residents in most affected houses are still counting their losses in anticipation that people will attend to their plight.

GBC                                                      END

Upper East: EC inaugurates District Registration Review Committees

Regional EC Boss, James Arthur Yeboah

The Upper East Regional Office of the EC is awaiting valid report from the various district registration review committees set up to look into issues of persons that were faced with registration challenges during the just ended limited registration exercise in the region. 

The committees were inaugurated after the first phase of the exercise on the sidelines of complains forwarded to the regional EC for redress. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana’s Isaac Asare, the Regional Director of the EC, James Arthur Yeboah said so far only one district had submitted its final report and was looking forward to other districts to do same. 

According to him, the remaining districts have not be able to present their reports ,perhaps due to the large numbers they dealt with and was hopeful that with time they will finalize their report for submission. 

He noted that those that were challenged during the exercise will be invited to defend their claims adding that those that fail to show up upon request will have their registration process scrapped.

  Mr Arthur Yeboah said the EC has drawn practical lessons from the recent registration and will put in place pragmatic steps to forestall future occurrences. 

He mentioned the issue of frequent breakdown of registration kits due to intense heat and shortage of registration forms in some centers, especially Garu, where numbers were quite high due to the displacement of people from Bawku to the area, as some of the challenges.

 He thanked representatives of the political parties and other stakeholders including community leaders for their role in helping to resolve problems encountered at some registration centres. 

Meanwhile, the region was able to register Fifty Four Thousand, 735 persons at the end of the second phase of the 10-day nationwide exercise.

GBC NEWS                                          END                                                               

UE RM threatens to blacklist non-performing road contractors

Story by Isaac Asare 

    

The Upper East Regional Minister, Albert Abongo says his administration will not take it kindly with project contractors cited for non-performance, and warned that such contractors will be blacklisted and contracts abrogated to pave way for professionals. 

He said most often than not contractors after being awarded and funded to execute projects abandon site halfway while others indulge in shoddy work.

 This according to the minister retards economic growth thus thwarting government’s effort at ensuring value for money in the execution of projects, particularly roads. 

Mr Abongo gave the warning in an interview with Radio Ghana after touring some road network within the Bongo District to assess the state of the road to be considered for an upgrade. 

6 No 3x3 box culvert on the Bongo-Abokobisi-Balungu road

The damaged double 3x3 box culvert on the Boko-Namoo-Feo Road

Accompanied by his deputy, Dr Robert Kuganab-Lem, the DCE for Bongo, Alexis Ayamdor and some technical staff at the regional office of the Department of Feeder Roads, Mr Abongo toured the 4.1kilometer road within Bongo to check the progress reached in the construction of on-going works. 

The tour forms part of his resolve to inspect some key road projects in the region to evaluate and assess their condition for redress. 

The Bongo town road, which provides access to a large number of settlements, is in a deplorable state with portions requiring serious intervention to avoid further damage. 

Most existing culverts are weak and need to be replaced and worked on. 

Others have been removed and require urgent attention. Affected areas include the Bongo –Balungu road, the Yua-Dua-Bogorogo kilometre stretch, the Bongo–Abokobisi –Balungu road and the Boko-Namoo-Feo road.

 According to the Deputy Regional Director of the Department of Feeder roads, Stephen Quainoo, the 7 km Yua-Dua-Bogorogo road has deteriorated beyond the routine maintenance programme captured under their department’s programme for 2016. 

He said in view of the situation, the project is now programmed under a periodic maintenance which has to do with rehabilitation. 

This, he added, will require the provision of four major critical culverts before graveling of the entire stretch takes place.

 It was however established that the contractor who was supposed to reshape the road has had his contract terminated for abandoning site immediately after excavation and his failure to fix the opening of the road with a double 1,200 by 900 size culvert.  

Fmr Assemblyman for Boko in a tit chat with the RM

 Meanwhile, a double 3x3 box culvert on the Boko-Namoo–Feo road is said to be inadequate and require additional culverts to prevent the perennial overflow of water when there is heavy downpour. 

This was confirmed by a former Assembly member for Boko, Rockson Sulemana Azure. 

Mr Quainoo in an interview revealed that estimates for the maintenance of the affected roads had been prepared, advertised and subsequently submitted to Ministry of Roads and Highways for approval. 

He said on the interim, some culverts will be provided before they embark on a major periodic maintenance. 

Briefing Radio Ghana after the tour, the Regional Minister, Albert Abongo expressed graved concerned about the poor nature of the road network not only in Bongo but the entire region.   

He lamented that most of the road being constructed in the region are not able to stand the test of time and blamed contractors for shoddy work.

 He said his administration had prioritized roads in his development agenda and will not countenance on non-performance on the part of contractors. 

He expressed his resolve to liaise with the department of feeder roads to work on the feeder roads to facilitate the movement of goods and services. 

He said the successful rehabilitation of the Bongo road will provide a vital infrastructure to assist in the development effort of Bongo. 

Mr Abongo further charged MDCEs and other technical experts to exercise their monitoring and supervisory role and look out for contractors that indulge in shoddy work.

GBC                                                               END                                                       IA/