GRi Parliament Ghana 10 – 05 - 2001
MPs complain about effects of rainstorms.
MPs complain about effects of
rainstorms.
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 May 2001
Mr Kosi Kedem, NDC MP for Hohoe South on Wednesday expressed
concern about the effects of rainstorms, which have either ripped off the roofs
of scores of houses or damaged buildings including schools.
He said the menace of the ravaging rainstorms, which has become
an annual occurrence has this year ripped off the roofs of the local
Evangelical Presbyterian primary and junior secondary school blocks at Ve
Golokwati.
Mr Kedem, who made the statement in Parliament, said the
unfortunate situation is that most of the school buildings that have been
damaged have not been rebuilt because the communities are not sufficiently
endowed.
He said the Roman Catholic Primary School at Logba Adzokoe was
damaged beyond repairs while the girl's dormitory block of the Logba Secondary
School and school buildings at Laiti, Have and Nyagbo also suffered extensive
damage, thus impacting adversely on the educational development in the
constituency.
Mr Kedem said most of the school buildings in his constituency
are very old with some of them becoming death traps. They were built by the EP
Church Mission during the German and British colonial periods and have since
not been rehabilitated.
He said while it is true that the communities should be
encouraged to plant trees to protect their buildings against rainstorms, the
only solution to minimise the havoc caused by rainstorms is to rebuild or
rehabilitate most of the schools.
Mr Kedem suggested that part of the Ghana Education Trust Fund
should be set aside for the building of the new school blocks while a well
planned project should be executed by the district assemblies with financial
assistance from the Central Government and the active involvement of the
communities.
He reminded the Ministry of Education to bring before the House
the long awaited formula for the distribution of monies under the Fund for
approval without delay.
The MP appealed to all non-governmental organisations, National
Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and individuals to come to the aid of
the
damaged schools.
Capt. Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (rtd), NPP - Berekum, associated
himself with the sentiments expressed by Mr Kedem and said his constituency has
suffered similar damage and suggested the enforcement of building regulations
to reduce the extent of destruction.
He said district assemblies should also enforce their bylaws on
the construction of buildings so that proper and appropriate structures would
be put up.
Mr Benjamin Kunbuor, NDC- Lawra said out of 24 buildings, which
were destroyed by rainstorm in his constituency, 12 of them were schools.
He said the time has come for all to find lasting solution to
the frequent occurrence and damage caused by rainstorm and suggested the search
for scientific solutions to the problem.
Mrs Angelina Badu-Mensah, Shama Constituency appealed to NADMO
and the Ghana Education Service to assist the district assemblies and the
people to rehabilitate their school blocks which were destroyed by rainstorms.
Mr Kwakye Addo, NDC-Afram Plains South, called for the
strengthening and empowerment of NADMO to ensure that they cope with disasters
and to prevent future occurrences.
GRi../
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