We Are Struggling; Accra-Town Residents Bemoan

The institute of financial and Economic Journalist (IFEJ) with sponsorship from Star Ghana conducted an investigation geared toward the living conditions of the people of Accra-town, a suburb of Yeji in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Accra-town is an island port lying on southern bank of the white volta lake which is a suburb of Yeji in the pru-district in the Brong Ahafo Region with a population of about 4,000 inhabitants. Their major occupation is fishing.

Accra-town can never boast of electricity, good drinking water, housing, clinics, schools and toilet facilities. These are the basic needs to ensure a decent living. They heavily depend on the Volta lake for drinking water, bathing, defecating, and fishing as well for their livelihood. Not even a single pit latrine can be found in the locality. Human waste is therefore littered at inappropriate locations. This promotes the fast spread of diseases.

There is only one unit primary classroom block which serves over 100 school going children, compelling them to travel across the volta lake to gain access to Junior High school and attend to medical treatment in the pru-district. These at times lead to disaster on the volta lake.

Poor and indecent housing conditions like poor ventilation, poor sanitation and unhygienic practices posed health hazards making their living unbearable for them.

Food is therefore prepared either in the open or under fragile sheds. This can pose a problem of fire outbreaks in the windy harmattan season whiles it becomes impossible to put off the fire since no fire personnel can cross the lake to address it.

Mr. Dortumor Akwafo, who is a fisherman in Accra-town bemoaned the sad challenges and called on the government to provide them with solar energy supply as an alternative means of electricity and a new habitat for humanity housing to help alleviate the inadequate housing conditions. Also, called for the extension of the primary school, clinics to attend to their ailments, toilet facilities that will perpetually address the human waste littered across the length and breadth of the lake and treated water to make their lives more meaningful.