To make way for the resumption of schools in the Mepe traditional area, following the Akosombo Dam flood disaster, the Mepe Development Association (MDA) has relocated over 400 displaced persons from the various safe havens, including St. Kizito Senior Technical School.

The displaced persons, most of whose homes were destroyed by the flood, have been moved to Mepe-Degorme JHS and other accommodation facilities provided by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hlordzi Dodzi, an indigene of the community.

According to the Chairman of the MDA, Fabian Mawulenu Kojo, this exemplary show of leadership by the Association saved the St. Kizito School from collapsing and also the disruption of the academic calendar.

Stakeholder engagement towards relocation

Following a resolution by the community members, traditional leaders and other interest groups at a stakeholder’s forum organised by the MDA to address some fallouts of the flood disaster on businesses, housing, health, and education, among others, the MDA set up a five-member Relocation Committee to recommend the way forward on the resumption of schools

The Committee’s work spanned the six safe havens that were occupied by displaced persons during the height of the disaster: St Kizito Senior High Technical School, Holy Christ D.A. School, Mepe Presby Primary, D. A. JHS, Mepe Roman Catholic Primary and Junior High Schools.

The Relocation Committee recommended, among other things, the renovation of Mepe-Degorme JHS, an abandoned school block, for the relocation of the displaced persons to make way for the reopening of St. Kizito and other basic schools.

Renovation of Mepe-Degorme JHS; Communal Labour

In support of the committee’s work, the MDA organised communal labour with the participation of the chiefs and people of the community to clear weeds around the designated facilities to pave the way for the renovation works to be completed in time.

“We (the MDA) engaged contractors to do electrical, masonry, plumbing, carpentry, and painting works, among others, and completed in record time the renovation of Degorme JHS at a huge cost."

"We also provided logistical support in moving all the displaced persons to the new facilities. We did all these without any support from the state nor its allied institutions.”

Visit of US Ambassador, Education Minister, others

The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer travelled to the new Mepe-Degorme JHS haven to meet the displaced persons and other stakeholders to discuss avenues of supporting the affected communities.

The USAID and UNICEF, through the Akosombo Safe Activity, are providing essential school supplies, and tents for temporary school structures, among others to aid teaching and learning for children in communities affected by the flood.

The MDA Chairman commended the government of the United States of America through USAID and UNICEF for their kind support.

Read Also: Flood: USAID, UNICEF donate $500,000 worth of school supplies to children at Mepe

The MDA, he said, made efforts to meet the Education Minister to discuss the resumption of schools in the Mepe traditional area without any success. This was after the minister visited Mepe and assured the MDA of his commitment to addressing all education-related challenges associated with the flood.

“When the Education Minister announced at the Inter-Ministerial press briefing on 22nd November 2023 the reopening of schools in Mepe, there was no plan in place by his ministry, NADMO nor any other state agencies to relocate the displaced persons from the various schools, including St. Kizito,” he stressed

“Neither the District Assembly nor NADMO has engaged the MDA to begin the processes to formally hand over the Degorme haven. We are still managing this haven with over 400 people albeit with so many challenges. The existing structures still need some upgrades, our people still need food and other relief items," he added.

The MDA chairman said his outfit’s doors are still open to engaging the Education Minister, NADMO, VRA and other stakeholders on the way forward in managing the fallouts of the flood disaster.

The Mepe Development Association (MDA) is the administrative organ of Mepe in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region in charge of social and development issues.

The MDA, together with the Mepe Traditional Council, works with state and non-state actors to engineer the development of the traditional area with a population of over 16,000.

The MDA was established in 1955 by the Mepe Traditional Council and has worked with all governments since the Independence of Ghana.