Woes of Asuogyaman

ASUOGYAMAN district in the Eastern Region is one of the youngest local administrations that were set up in the late 80s to facilitate development. However, that cannot be said of the Akwamu, Anum and Boso traditionally controlled district. The presence of almighty Volta River Authority (VRA) has dwarfed its economic activities, hence ithas become one of the poorest districts in the country, even though the giant hydro-electric darn is situated in its heart.

Information obtained has it that some of the people affected a result of the construction of the Akosombo darn were ressettled at Ajena, New Akrade and Mpakadan, all in the district, with the latter being the largest of the resettlements.

The district capital, Atimpoku, can only boast of the suspension bridge that spans the Volta River (Adomi Bridge). The roads are no better with Djekiti-Akosombo-Totibo and Apeguso-Mpakadan almost neglected, culminating in the recent threat by commercial transport operators wanting to withdraw their services to back a demand for rehabilitations to take place on them.

Information gathered has it that during the creation of the new district, Akosombo was suggested to be the capital but upon persuasion from the VRA, it was agreed that Atimpoku should become the administrative center with promises to help in infrastructural developments.

Unfortunately, no physical growth has been witnessed from both central government and the Volta River Authority. Health facilities apart from the VRA hospital are in deplorable conditions. The Ajena clinic that serves about 10,000 persons is not easily accessible by road, resulting in most referral cases ending in mortalities.

This has compelled staff of that clinic to embark on fund-raising to purchase a vehicle for their use. The least talked about conditions at Mpakadan, the better. With at least 555 unit-houses that were built about 40-years ago to resettle people who were affected by the lake, most of these buildings are overgrown with trees.

Access roads in the once vibrant town are covered, while a piggery and silos constructed for the inhabitants have been abandoned. Even though the place is just seven kilometers from the actual Volta dam, there is no electricity supply to the town, aside of the absence of pipe-borne water and a clinic.

As if these are not enough, there seems to be lack of co-operation between the District Chief Executive, Dr. Albert Kofi Siaw and the Member of Parliament, Honourable Dwamena Bekoe, which is greatly affecting development of the district. Interestingly, about half of the landmark for the district is occupied by Krobos who hitherto belonged to the Manya Krobo district before the creation of the Asuogyaman district.

Honourable Bekoe happens to have come from the district but that cannot be said of Dr. Siaw who came to settle and adopted it as a second home. Inquisition has shown that the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, whose predecessor military regime created the new district, attempted providing some of their needs such as roads and electricity.

Dr. Siaw in 2000 contested the parliamentary seat for the constituency but lost to Dwamena Bekoe and there the problem erupted. For reasons unknown, the MP, who was the immediate past DCE, hardly attended the assembly meetings.

The worry of people from the district is that their woes are because the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has won the Parliamentary seat for that constituency. The DCE, Dr. Kofi Siaw, when reached, said that the Building and Road Research Industry (BRRI) has carried feasibility studies on the roads in the district and that six identified will benefit from rehabilitation.

He made mention of the Tofibo-Akosombo road which the contractor is busily working on.