The government has been urged to provide additional funding to care for the needs of families who were affected by the Appiatse explosion last year.
According to the Divisional Chief of Bepoh, Nana Atta Kojo Beremebi II, parents and guardians who have been rendered unemployed and in some cases, physically challenged by the accident were struggling to provide for the needs of their families.
He made the appeal yesterday when a delegation led by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor interacted with the victims and inspected progress of the reconstruction work in the Prestea- Huni-Valley Municipality.
The Chief stated that, currently, some students who completed the Senior High School level were facing possible truncation of their education due to the inability of their parents to pay for expenses at tertiary institutions.
“I want to passionately appeal to the government to make allocations into the coffers of the Appiatse Disaster Fund so that these students who are facing an end to their education because their parents are suffering from injuries, can continue to develop themselves,” Nana Atta Kojo Beremebi II stated.
He further commended government for sticking to planned deadlines for the rehabilitation of the destroyed community and asked the victims to continue to offer the needed cooperation to ensure the successful completion of the project.
On his part, Mr Jinapor pledged the readiness of government to make the needed provisions that would make life comfortable for the victims and ensure students obtain the required resources to further their education.
In the meantime, he noted that, 106 housing units were currently being worked on under the phase one of the Appiatse reconstruction project by the contractors saying that, work on other units would be undertaken in phases.
The phase one, he said, would in all include 124 housing units as well as social amenities such as a market, school and roads.
He commended the contractors and the Appiatse Reconstruction Committee for the scope of work done within the past months.
Mr Jinapor urged the contractors to expedite work to ensure the announced deadlines were met to allow for timely relocation of the affected victims from the temporal accommodation facility.
Although, he did not disclose the amount received so far under the Appiatse Support Fund, he said, the funds could only be used for the phase one of the project.
Charles Blankson-Hemans, a member of the Appiatse Reconstruction Committee, said the phase two would involve the rehabilitation of existing buildings that were damaged.
Walter Samedzi, Appiatse Project Site Manager, indicated that the project was 31 per cent completed adding that, the phase one would be done and handed over in June later this year.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS