By Deborah Naa Aku Allotey
Tema, Nov. 13, GNA — Pupils and staff of the Padmore Street Basic School in Tema Community One are at risk of getting cholera due to the insanitary conditions in and around the school compound.
The school, which is one of the oldest Basics Schools in the Tema Metropolis, has part of its fence walls broken down for years, giving free access to passersby, miscreants, and stray animals.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed that piles of refuse had been dumped on some portions of the compound and behind the walls of the school, emanating stench and flies.
Pieces of human excreta were also seen within the school field as open defecation, as some residents of the surrounding communities use the premises as a place of convenience.
Some concerned residents called on authorities to immediately intervene to prevent the spread of cholera in the area, especially as the Greater Accra Region was grappling with the disease now.
They added that the condition of the school compound and its environs was also not creating a conducive environment for learning.
Mr. Isreal Gadagbui, a concerned resident, said the state of the school was worrying, adding that it has become antiquated and is serving as a haven for smokers.
He stated that behind the school walls had been turned into a refuse dump by some of the residents, adding that children defecating around the school has become a normal daily occurrence.
Mr. Gadagbui suggested that security personnel must be assigned to the school and walls erected, adding that with that, the premises could be rented for social activities and the proceeds used to maintain the school.
GNA