From Edmond Gyebi
Over 1,203 persons, including pregnant women and children, have been displaced at Nasia, a farming community in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region, following a devastating rainstorm that hit the area. Seventy eight houses, comprising 319 rooms, had their roofs completely ripped off, with the displaced persons now living with families and friends.
An undisclosed number of the victims are also taking refuge at the palace of the Chief of Nasia, Mozurana-Dan N. Abdulai. Twenty seven pregnant women and over 80 babies, between one week and five years, are also victims of the disaster. Apart from the undisclosed quantity of rice, maize, millet, beans, sorghum and groundnuts destroyed by the rainstorm, a large number of textbooks and other teaching materials were also ravaged.
Students of the St. Paul Senior High School also had their new dormitory block’s roof completely blown off. The school authorities have created makeshift structures to accommodate the students who are from outside the Nasia community. Over 482 pupils of the Nasia D/A Primary School also lost their school block, which was constructed and funded by the Millennium Development Authority and furnished with computers, a television, and other learning material.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Walewale, Dr. Sugre Bambangi, and the District Chief Executive (DCE) for West Mamprusi, the Chief of Nasia and the District National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) officials visited the victims to assess the level of damage caused, and also to sympathise with them.
The MP was particularly worried that the rainstorm disasters in the Walewale constituency were becoming consistent, and, therefore, advised the residents of the area to cultivate the habit of tree planting to serve as windbreaks to mitigate the impact of such future occurrences.
He was thankful to the Lord that there was not a single casualty or loss of human life. The MP assured the people of his commitment to link up with the relevant stakeholders, especially, NADMO and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, to assist the victims with relief items. Dr. Bambangi also appealed to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other civil bodies to come to the aid of the victims.
At the moment, roofing sheets, mattresses and foodstuffs are required. The Headteacher of the Nasia D/A Primary School, Yamusah Tahiru, appealed to the Member of Parliament, the District Assembly and NADMO to rapidly re-roof the school block. He said any delay in re-roofing and supporting it with some learning materials could affect the reopening of the school, scheduled for today May 12.
He also complained about overcrowding in the classrooms, and appealed to the government to improve on the infrastructural needs of the school. The District Chief Executive for West Mamprusi, David Wuni, said that the District Assembly was making the necessary moves to get the affected persons some immediate support. He stated that the Assembly, in the interim, was going to construct a temporary structure for the Nasia D/A Primary School before the reopening of school.
But that notwithstanding, the Assembly, according to the DCE, was also making efforts to raise the needed funds to renovate all the affected schools. The Chief of Nasia, Mozurana-Dan N. Abdulai, attributed the magnitude of the rainstorm to the indiscriminate cutting of trees by illegal chainsaw operators. He vowed to deal with anyone found engaging in illegal chain-saw activities in the area.