A primary school residents say is about 90 to 95 percent complete has remained abandoned at Yaka in the Bongo District since 2016, leaving children to walk long distances to neighbouring communities to access basic education.
The Namoo-Yaka Primary School was expected to provide children in Yaka and surrounding communities with a closer learning facility, but nearly a decade after construction stalled, the classrooms have never been put to use.
The unfinished structure is now showing signs of deterioration, including damaged ceilings and cracks in parts of the building.
For children in Yaka, the abandoned facility means continuing to make the journey to other communities for their education.
Joseph Adudaa, a student from Yaka who travels to Namoo Doone to attend school, said the distance makes getting to school difficult.
“We are Ghanaians, not Burkinabes. We always use our feet, and it is not easy for us to attend school,” he said.
According to Joseph, the long journey can discourage some children from attending school regularly and makes accessing education more difficult.
Another student, Ebenezer Awinbomah, also appealed to authorities to complete the facility and open it for use.
Assembly Member for the area Daniel Ayeta said the school has remained unfinished since 2016 despite being about 90 to 95 percent complete.
Mr. Ayeta said he had written several letters to the Bongo District Assembly seeking intervention to complete the remaining works.
He said the Assembly informed him that the project was funded through the Ghana Education Trust Fund and would therefore have to go through the required processes to be repackaged and re-awarded before construction could resume.
According to Mr. Ayeta, the school was constructed during the first term of President John Dramani Mahama but was not completed.
He said he had also contacted the contractor about the stalled project and was informed that the money initially available for the construction had been exhausted and no additional payment had been received to continue the work.
Bongo District Chief Executive Diana Asoketarige Ayamga acknowledged the stalled project but said the Assembly has limited control over it because it falls under GETFund.
She said the Assembly would, however, explore how funding could be secured to complete the remaining works and make the school available for use.
Residents are appealing to the government, GETFund, the Bongo District Assembly and other relevant authorities to prevent the nearly completed facility from deteriorating further.
They say completing and operationalising the school would shorten the distances children travel for basic education and provide pupils in Yaka and surrounding communities with a safer and more conducive place to learn.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Anaba Azubire | Bongo
