Authorities to decide fate of students following recent floods in New Juaben North
The New Juaben North Municipal Assembly will today, Monday, October 10, 2022, meet education stakeholders in the area to determine whether to re-open schools following a flood disaster that occurred in the community.
The area witnessed heavy floods last week, leaving hundreds of people homeless and schools submerged in large amounts of water.
As a result, the assembly had to shut down five primary schools in the New Juaben North Municipality in the Eastern Region.
In a press briefing, Municipal Chief Executive Comfort Asante said the assembly took this action because the heavy downpour destroyed teaching and learning materials.
However, she indicated that measures are being implemented for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates preparing to write their exams.
“NADMO needs to do the assessment, but we are looking at finding a way for the final-year students. We will study the situation; if it is still raining in New Juaben North, there will be an education committee to find solutions to it,” she explained.
Floods cause havoc in the Eastern region.
Many parts of the Eastern region were hit by devastating floods following three days of heavy downpours.
Major rivers -Birim, Ayensu, and Densu, have all overflown their banks, submerging homes and roads.
The Kyebi Court Complex, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) office, the Kibi Presbyterian College of Education, the Kyebi Demonstration school, and some other institutions and homes near the Birim river were seriously flooded for the first time in many decades.
It took the intervention of the Ghana National Fire Service personnel and some volunteers to rescue victims, including children trapped in schools, offices and homes.
About 100 residents of Amanase in Ayensuano District were displaced on Saturday, October 1, 2022, as the Ayensu river also overflowed its banks.
The floods entered homes and shops and almost submerged a significant part of the community.
The Akwadum stretch of the Koforidua to Suhum highway was blocked by severe floods caused by the overflow of the Densu river on Sunday, October 2, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Water Company Limited have shut down the Birim, Densu and Akyem Oda treatment plants following the weekend’s flooding.