Windstorm destroys tents at Appiatse

Several tents housing residents of Appiatse at the Dumasi Resettlement Camp have been destroyed by a windstorm that swept through the area on Friday April 8.

Several houses and trees in the area have also been affected.

Prestea Huni Valley Municipal Director of the National Disdaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Francis Abeiku, confirmed the incident to TV3 news.

He said efforts are underway to re–erect the affected tents.

He could not say how many tents have been affected but assured that all affected tents will be re–positioned to ensure that occupants have a place to lay their head.

This comes at a time Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee, the Chairman of the Appiatse Support Fund Committee announced that her Committee has over the period of their operations, raised an amount of Thirty-Five Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Four Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-Three Ghana Cedis and Ninety Pesewas (Ghc 35,884,423.9) towards the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Appiatse Community.

She however declared that the quoted amount which includes donations from Corporate Institutions as well as patriotic individuals, would not be enough to complete the whole reconstruction project, considering the magnitude of damage caused at Appiatse and the chunk of work assigned them by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

“This amount notwithstanding, we are far from reaching what we would call sufficient funds. This is because the extent of damage to the Appiatse Township cannot be over emphasized and this amount raised so far will not be adequate”

Dr. Joyce Aryee made this declaration when the Appiatse Support Fund Committee held a Press Briefing on Monday, 4th April, 2022 to among others update the general public on funds received so far and to deliberate on how to develop concrete proposals for soliciting more funds to be able to support the project which is set to begin by end of April, 2022.

She also started clearly that the monies collected does not include the 5 million dollar fine allotted to Maxam Company to pay into the fund, disclosing that Maxam is yet to pay that Fine through the Minerals Commission.

She further opined that, for the purpose of utmost transparency, the committee will at an appropriate time, make available to the Press and the general public the list of Corporate Institutions and Patriotic Individuals who have donated both in cash and kind to the fund and captured in the Bank Statements of the Fund.

The Chairman of the Support Fund Committee, Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee also made a passionate appeal to all who are yet to donate, to do so and enable a fast and steady reconstruction of the town in order to ensure that the people of Appiatse, are relieved from the untold hardship and damage to their properties.
“We are still insisting on our hash tag: “obiara entuabi” to enable us make this project a reality”

She hoped that every means available will be employed to equip the Reconstruction Implementation Team with the requisite funds to construct an Eco-Friendly, Green and Sustainable town that is energy efficient while reecohing the account details to the support fund.

“Monetary contributions may be deposited in the name of APPIATSE SUPPORT FUND at GCB Bank account number 1011130036123 or Stanbic Bank account Number 9040009974967 and We encourage you to kindly send your donations through MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo to G-Cash short code 422530# or Stanbic short code 71825*096#”

She expressed her profound gratitude on behalf of her team and people of Appiatse to all those who have donated and assured that her Committee will work collaboratively with the Reconstruction Implementation Committee to bring Appiatse back on it’s feet.

The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Chairman of the Appiatse Reconstruction Implementation Team who joined the ASF for the Briefing further explained that the amount of work to be done at Appiatse would determine the exact amount the Fund would need to raise for completion of the project.

He asked Ghanaians through the media to be patient while they put together an inventory to know how much will be needed, adding that the exact quotation of amount will also depend on the contractor who is awarded the contract to reconstruct the community.

Mr. Blankson Hermans, a member of the Appiatse Reconstruction Implementation Team and representative from the Ghana Institute of Architects gave a summary of activities of the Reconstruction Implementation Committee,  to give the media and Ghanaians a fair idea of the work done so far.

“For the time period that we’ve been working, we’ve come up with a land use plan which was developed by the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority. It forms the basis for the design that will be used for the provision of the housing and commercial facilities for the community” He said

“So we’ve inspected a root going through the main town and out of it, we’ve got about 120 of 126 bedroom houses to reconstruct. But essentially, as we develop, what we are doing now is to start with the road networks by April ending and we hope  to meet that deadline” He concluded.

Source: 3news.com