By Erica Apeatua Addo
Appiatse (W/R), July 24, GNA – The first phase of 124 housing units being constructed for victims of Appiatse, a town in the Western Region that was destroyed by an explosion will soon be completed.
They are made up of 41one-bedroom apartments, 35 two-bedroom, 25 three-bedroom, 15 four-bedroom, eight five-bedroom apartment, one six-bedroom and one seven-bedroom apartment.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the progress of work done so far, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Appiatse Reconstruction Committee, Mr Thywill Quarshie, revealed that most of the buildings had been roofed.
He said external works such as electrical, plastering, painting among others would begin soon, adding the drainage system had been completed and the road network in the area was being constructed.
“The slightly affected houses which only needed roofing and other petty renovations were gradually going bad due to the continuous rains. Weeds have taken over these structures and the owners are not happy,
“If immediate steps are not taken, phase two of the project will affect the beauty of the good work done in phase one” he lamented.
Mr Quarshie added that “working during the rainy season was difficult but I am really impressed with the kind of work done so far by the six contractors handling the project”.
Touching on the welfare of the people of Appiatse, he said,” the health of those severely injured kept deteriorating week by week. We have 23 injured people on our list seeking medical attention but paying their bills is a challenge because we do not have funds.
“We have asked the victims to foot their own medical bills with the hope of refunding when we get support from the public.
“Our warehouse is also empty, feeding the people of Appiatse is a major worry. School children who lost their parents in the incident are out of school” he continued;
According to him, “now our only hope is that next academic year, we have to go for the US $10,000 donated by the workers of Future Global Resources Bogoso Prestea Mine to the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipal Assembly as seed money to set up an endowment fund to cater for the educational needs of children of parents or guardians whose livelihoods were affected by the Appiatse explosion”
He expressed appreciation to the government, organizations, philanthropists, and individuals for helping them to restore the lives of the victims of Appiatse.
Mr Quarshie appealed to the public to continue to support the people of Appiatse as they were in tough times.
The explosion that occurred on January 20, 2022, at Appiatse, near Bogoso in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality has so far claimed sixteen lives.
GNA