Students 'forced' to dine in the rain as OBOSS dining hall project remains abandoned

Students and management of Oti Boateng Senior High School (OBOSS) in Koforidua the new Juaben South Municipality are humbly appealing to the government to urgently intervene and complete the abandoned multipurpose assembly and dining hall project, including a kitchen facility, which has remained stalled for more than 13 years.

The situation has become particularly difficult during the rainy season, as students are often compelled to dine in the rain.

Others are forced to take their meals in dormitories, on verandas, and in other unsuitable locations due to the lack of a proper dining hall.

A visit to the school reveals what many describe as an eyesore.

The school's improvised kitchen is situated on the school field, right in the middle of the compound, and there is no storage facility for foodstuffs.

As a result, food items are kept along classroom corridors, a situation that school authorities say is negatively affecting teaching and learning.

About five years ago, Peace FM and UTV reporter Michael Akrofi visited the school and highlighted the same challenges.

Following the media reports, the late Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Prof. Emeritus Dasebre Oti Boateng, intervened by providing a pavilion to serve as a temporary relief measure while authorities awaited the completion of the dining hall, assembly hall, and kitchen project.

Students and management had hoped that the late Omanhene would use his influence to lobby the government to complete the project after the issue gained public attention and he was compelled to provide the temporary pavilion.

However, he passed away a few years later, leaving the situation largely unchanged.

Today, the project remains at the footing stage, with the contractor reportedly absent from the site for several years.

The prolonged abandonment has placed both students and school management in a difficult position, as the institution continues to struggle with inadequate infrastructure, including a shortage of classrooms and other essential facilities.

Students have expressed concern over the uncomfortable conditions under which they are compelled to study and dine, stressing that the lack of proper facilities is affecting their welfare and academic work.

They dine or eat in turns, with either boys or girls eating first, or first- and second-year students eating before the seniors due to the limited space available.

The pavilion provided by the late Dasebre Oti Boateng is also serving as the ironing area for the entire student population.

Currently, about 1, 300 boarding students are being affected by the situation.

They are therefore calling on the government to immediately resume and complete the project, which was initiated during the previous administration of President John Dramani Mahama.

The students remain hopeful that their plight will be addressed and receive urgent attention to bring relief to them, improve their welfare, and enhance teaching and learning in the school.