Tongor-Dzemeni to protest lack of social amenities

The 6,000-member Tongor-Dzemeni Community, a major market and fishing community and the economic backbone of the South-Dayi District Assembly, has raised issues with the Assembly over lack of essential social amenities.

In a letter signed by its Chief, Togbe Gyamenamponi I, to the District Commander, Ghana Police Service, in accordance with the Public Order Act, and made available to the Ghana News Agency, it catalogued a number of grievances to justify a proposed “peaceful demonstration” to draw attention to their deprivations.

Tongor-Dzemeni, has since the creation of the Volta Lake in the 1960s been a proverbial marketing centre in the country and a major and reliable source of revenue, first for the Kpando District Assembly for many years, until it came under the jurisdiction of the South Dayi District, the letter said.

The community, however, the letter said, “lacks viable public place of convenience for over 35 years.”

The letter also alleged that the authorities of the District Assembly had persistently refused to improve the poor sanitary conditions.

But over the past 15 years, the Assembly had continually collected market tolls and huge sums from the market women on daily basis, it said.

“For 35 years the community lacks a scheduled rubbish collection system and any source of good drinking water,” it said

The fishing community also complained about the irregular supply of supply of pre-mix fuel to power their outboard motors, saying the situation was adversely affecting their fishing operations and activities.

The other market in the District is at Kpeve.