Modern appiatse unveiled

-124 units completed, 50 renovated, 67 more to be built

Vice-President and Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has commissioned 124 housing units in Appiatse, the community which was destroyed by a fatal gas explosion in 2022.

It consists of one to seven-bedroom houses, a school block with sanitary facilities, construction of inner roads within the community, provision of market, electricity, water, extensive street lighting, and a green landscape.

50 affected buildings renovated

Phase two of the Project, which is the repair and rehabilitation of buildings partially impacted by the incident, has also been completed, with payment to some 50 affected individuals to carry out the repair and rehabilitation of their buildings, after the affected buildings had been assessed and valued by professionals.

67 more units to be built

Right after the commissioning of these buildings, the Vice-President also cut sod for the commencement of work on Phase three, consisting of the construction of 67 additional buildings together with other facilities at the peripheries of the new community.

The entire cost of the Project was financed by the Appiatse Support Fund.

In the unprecedented, deadly explosion, almost the entire Appiatse community, in the Western Region, was left uninhabitable, leaving many dead, injured, and community members displaced as their homes were burnt.

A Government delegation, led by Dr. Bawumia, immediately visited the area with emergency relief items and promised swift action to rebuild the community for those affected.

That promise has now been fulfilled, following the construction, commissioning, and handing over of 124 housing units, with water and drainage system, electricity, tarred streets, and other important needs this afternoon.

Ahead of the commissioning, relieved and excited members of the Appiatse community held a candlelight vigil, in remembrance of their loved ones who lost their lives during the explosion, as well as to celebrate their new home.

Speaking at the commissioning, Dr. Bawumia said the swift reconstruction of the community, as promised by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, underlines the government’s commitment to the welfare of those affected and the people.

Dr. Bawumia, recalled with sadness, events of January 20, 2022, adding, however, that the commissioning, performed amidst fanfare by the community and rainfall, marked a special blessing from God.

“On Thursday, 20th January 2022, we witnessed a very tragic incident at this community, at this same place where we are gathered today.

“A sudden explosion shook our foundations, shattered lives, and left scars etched deep into our collective memory. It left the Appiatse community, and, indeed, the entire country in deep sorrow and distress,” Dr. Bawumia said.

“The following day, on behalf of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I led a delegation, which included Ministers, heads of the security agencies, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and other officials of the Presidency, to commiserate with the victims of the incident.

“I saw, at first hand, the devastation that the incident has caused to this once vibrant community, with some of our people unfortunately losing their lives, and others suffering various degrees of injuries, as well as the near-total collapse of the entire Appiatse community.”

“Today, we gather at this same venue, not just to commemorate the tragic event, but also to celebrate resilience, compassion, and the indomitable spirit of the people of Appiatse.

“While mourning those who lost their lives through this tragic incident, we stand in solidarity with the survivors who bear both physical and emotional wounds, and recognize the heroic efforts of our emergency responders, exemplified in the selflessness that defines our nation.”

“There was fire and we cried. Today, as we rejoice, God has opened the sky and sent down rainfall. This can only be a blessing from God,” he said.

Dr. Bawumia stressed that the adversity that hit Appiatse and the entire nation has a way of revealing our strength to “rise, rebuild, and re-imagine.”

“From this tragedy emerged resilience. The resilience to rebuild the community. The resilience to bring hope to the suffering, and the unwavering commitment to lift the downtrodden.”

“As we can all attest, Government, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, acted swiftly following the incident, and in collaboration with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies, relief was brought to the victims of the incident through the provision of relief items, the diversion of the road that was blown away, and its eventual fixing, and the provision of temporary accommodation for all those displaced.”

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, on his part, reiterated the government’s commitment to completing the remaining phases of the project, ensuring that all aspects of the community’s reconstruction are fulfilled.

He pledged to rigorously enforce the enhanced safety protocols the Ministry has adopted, educate communities, and to hold accountable those entrusted with responsibility for explosives, as well as other hazardous materials, to prevent the recurrence of this unfortunate incident.

Chief of Appiatse Nana Atta Kwadwo expressed gratitude for the coordinated effort in rebuilding the community while urging the government to expedite the completion of the remaining phases.

The commissioning ceremony included the presence of prominent figures such as Information Minister-designate Fatimatu Abubakar, Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, and Divisional Chief Nana Atta Kwadwo Brembi II.