Rainstorm causes havoc in Sunyani

Suyani, B/A, April 14, GNA- A severe rainstorm that hit parts of the Suyani Municipality and surrounding communities caused extensive damage to three classroom blocks of the Mmeredane Municipal Assembly Primary/ Kindergarten School building, ripping off roofs and destroying properties worth GHc10,000. There were no casualties.

Speaking in an interview with GNA, Madam Adobea Addo, the Headmistress of the school stated that authorities, including the Municipal Education Officer and the Municipal Coordinating Director and their teams have already visited the scene to inspect, ascertain and access the extent of damage but nothing has since been heard from them after the incidence. The headmistress said as a result of the damage, the 127 primary pupils are currently taking lessons under trees on the school compound which she described as unsafe because they are exposed to insects bites as well as the vagaries of the weather.

Madam Addo added that an estimated GHc 30,000 would be needed to undertake rehabilitation work.

She urgently called on authorities, NGO's and philanthropists to expedite action to help address the problem, adding, "We would be left with no other choice but to shut down the school because there are no places to accommodate these pupils when the rains set in". The headmistress urged the government to extend the school feeding programme to cover the school and other public schools in the country, saying, "The Presbyterian School, a mission school is even benefiting from the programme but a public school like ours is not enjoying from the school feeding programme". "Because of this problem, some parents have withdrawn their pupils from the school to a nearby school," she added. She also appealed to authorities to help complete the two kindergarten classroom blocks without further delay since the project is long overdue.