Nearly a year after a fire damaged a girls’ dormitory at the Zuarungu Nursing and Midwifery Training College and affected accommodation for about 120 students, rehabilitation of five rooms is finally set to begin following the mobilisation of about GH¢500,000.
The college on Monday, August 24, 2026, handed over the affected section to Firm Stephot Ltd, with the contractor given five weeks to complete the rehabilitation and return the rooms for student use.
Principal of the college, Haruna Tirah, said the project was made possible largely through an intervention by Bolgatanga East Member of Parliament Dr. Dominic Ayine, who contributed GH¢250,000 after management appealed for support.
According to Mr. Tirah, Dr. Ayine visited the college after learning about the accommodation challenge and pledged to help restore the damaged dormitory.
The MP has since fulfilled that commitment, while the college, the Zuarungu Chief’s Palace and other stakeholders have also contributed towards the rehabilitation.
Mr. Tirah said the college contributed GH¢200,000, while about GH¢42,000 was raised through other donations.
The intervention brings some relief to the college nearly a year after the fire destroyed rooms and students’ belongings, leaving about 120 female students affected by an accommodation shortage.
Previous estimates suggested that substantially more money would be required to fully reconstruct and furnish the damaged section.
The Bolgatanga East District Assembly earlier estimated that about GH¢1.2 million would be required to reconstruct the affected section, excluding furnishing.
A separate assessment by Architectural and Engineering Services Limited reportedly put the cost at about GH¢1.6 million, including beds and other essential furnishings.
Rather than continue waiting for funding for the larger reconstruction, however, the college and its partners opted to mobilise resources to rehabilitate five rooms as an immediate response to the accommodation challenge.
Mr. Tirah said restoring the rooms has become particularly urgent as the college prepares to receive students for the new academic period.
Dennis Anaba of Firm Stephot Ltd said rehabilitation works would include re-plastering, replacing windows and doors, and carrying out other works necessary to make the damaged section usable again.
The current project will not include the complete reconstruction of the structure or the provision of beds and other furnishings.
Mr. Anaba said his company would work to meet the five-week deadline and return the rehabilitated facility to the college.
For management, the immediate priority is ensuring that the contractor keeps to that timeline so the five rooms can be returned to use and provide some relief from an accommodation problem that has persisted for nearly a year.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
