The Appiatse community near Bogoso in the Prestea Huni Valley municipality of the Western Region was overjoyed when the reconstructed Appiatse Township was inaugurated at new site yesterday by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
The event was under the patronage of the Appiatse Fund, Appiatse Reconstruction Implementation team and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
On January 20, 2022, a motorbike rider unfortunately went under a truck transporting explosives to the gold mine in Bogoso.
This caused an explosion at Appiatse, near the city of Bogoso, about 300km (180 miles) west of the Western capital of Ghana.
After the explosion, people in the community rushed down to the scene to see what had happened but unfortunately a second blast occurred few minutes later, destroying dozens of buildings and injuring many.
A total of thirteen (13) people died, with some injured people rescued and referred to the Bogoso Government Hospital where they received treatment.
Later, the Appiatse Support Fund was launched to raise money, among others, to support the victims of the incident and reconstruct the community.
This five-member committee is chaired by Rev. Dr. Joyce R. Aryee, an eminent stateswoman. Another committee named Appiatse Reconstruction Implementation Team (ARIT) was also established under the chairmanship of the then Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya North Constituency, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, to rebuild the community.
Inaugurating the houses, Dr Bawumia noted that the disaster “sunk Appiatse into deep sorrow and distress” but added that the collective efforts of all players was testimony of how selflessness defined the country in times of adversities.
He said the efforts also showed the “selfless and unwavering commitment” and resilience of government led by President Nana Akufo-Addo to rebuild Appiatse and also restore hope to the people.
The president, he reported, directed that $5 million out of the $6 million fine imposed on Maxam be used to assist the reconstruction of Appiatse.
God, Dr Bawumia said, had shown that even in times of trials come blessings, and this was demonstrated in the showers during the ceremony.
“Government took step to provide a permanent place of abode to Appiatse and happy that we have done it. We owe it to community –I am happy we have done it together, never will such incident happen in the future,” he added.
The Vice President paid tributes to Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, for his leadership and ensuring the completion of the Appiatse project.
Mr Jinapor also mentioned the role played by the Catholic Church, Bogoso, which provided solace for the homeless.
He stated, “If anybody thought government do not keep promises, President Akufo Addo and Vice President made their promises to Appiatse, a promise made, a promise kept. If anybody thought government can’t deliver, President Akufo Addo had delivered and the government will forever deliver to the people of Appiatse, Prestea-Huni Valley and the country.”
Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, recalled the Appiatse disaster saying, “today is a solemn occasion but again a joyful one because God has answered our wishes.”
Divisional Chief Beppoh, Nana Atta Kwadwo Brembi II, also recounted the death, destruction and sufferings of Appiatse in 2022, and appealed to government to complete the third phase.
The Appiatse Redevelopment Project started in September 2022 and was divided into three phases- Phase 1 comprises one hundred and twenty-four (124) Compressed Earth Bricks (CEB) houses, phase 2 is made up of houses that were partially affected but not totally destroyed by the explosion. They are made of sandcrete houses numbering fifty (50) individual houses. While phase 3 has a total of seventy (70) units of buildings. The 1-3 bedrooms are semi-detached row houses and 4-6 bedrooms are detached houses.
The contractors hired to undertake the project were: M/S Builders dot com, M/S Fineness Elevation Company Limited, M/S Megatech plus Engineering Solutions and M/S Macksams Limited.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, APPIATSE