The staff of Kumasi Technical University (KTU), have offered a ₵100,000 scholarship to female students within the areas affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage who have interest in pursuing STEM-related subjects.
Presenting the cheque to MPs of the constituencies affected by the floods, the University Relations Officer of KTU, Dr. Charles Obeng Sarpong, said the support is to encourage female students affected by the spillage to study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, through to the tertiary level.
The teaching and non-teaching staff of Kumasi Technical University presented about ₵10,000 exercise books and other stationery, as well as clothing, including shoes, worth over ₵60,000 to the MPs for areas affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.
Dr. Charles Obeng Sarpong, who presented the items on behalf of the KTU staff, said they were also concerned about the education of students affected by the disaster.
So, they also presented a cheque for ₵100,000, as scholarship for female students within the affected area to study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics subjects at the KTU.
He said, “When the disaster came, what came to our minds was the question that how can these our young ones continue their education? We want to encourage our females to venture into those areas—engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering, artificial intelligence, building services engineering, interior design technology, and programmes like that.”
”The good news is that if the person gets this scholarship, it is for the entire duration of the programme, that is, four years,” the University Relations Officer of KTU added.
The MP for Krachi West, Madam Helen Ntoso, received the items on behalf of the MPs whose constituencies were hit by the floods.
“We are so grateful to them, and we know that this will go a long way in helping our people, especially those in deprived areas. We are also grateful to them for the scholarship scheme; this is an encouragement to the girl child,” the MP said.
Madam Ntoso also appealed for boats for the affected communities to aid their movement.
“In my area, the water has crossed some of the roads, so we need boats to actually cross these students or the schoolchildren to go to school,” the Krachi West Lawmaker explained.
The spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams from September 15 to October 30, 2023, had a devastating impact on communities across the Volta, Eastern, Greater Accra, and Oti regions, displacing nearly 40,000 people, leaving hundreds of homes and farmlands inundated by floodwaters.
About thirteen constituencies were reported to have been adversely affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.
Read Also >>> GOVT’S NEGLECT OF AKOSOMBO DAM SPILLAGE FLOOD VICTIMS DISHEARTENING – ABLAKWA
Meanwhile, officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the Ada East District has closed all the 3 safe havens providing shelter for the Kpong-Akosombo hydro dam spillage victims.
About 700 out of the 6000 flood victims in the Ada East District were housed in the Azizanya D/A Basic School, the Big Ada Methodist School and a 3rd location at Tetsonya also in Big Ada.
The victims who stayed at the camps for 5 weeks were made to go back to their various communities on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th November, respectively amidst accusations.
Each victim was given a 5-kilogram bag of rice, a cup of gari, a gallon of maize, beans and oil. But some of the victims says they were not happy with the items given them.
They accused the team set up to manage them of keeping most of the relief items at the District Assembly. They also accused NADMO for living them stranded and refuse to take them back to their communities.
However, the Ada East District NADMO Coordinator Ebenezer Teye Kisseh Nartey told GBCNews that the closure of the safe havens became necessary due to increasing debt pressure on his office. He disclosed that NADMO is heavily indebted to local business owners.
Mr. Nartey also disclosed that the items given to the victims were items in
Mr. Nartey also disclosed that the items given to the victims were items in the custody of NADMO officials and that the Ada East District assembly led by Sarah Dugbaki Pobbe is keeping a lot of relief items which they are not willing to release.
When reached, the District Chief Executive of the Ada East District Assembly Sarah Dugbaki Pobbe declined to comment on the issue only to say that she will provide answers at the next committee meeting.
Read Also >>>> GH¢220M ALLOCATION TOWARD RELIEF FOR AKOSOMBO DAM SPILLAGE VICTIMS SHAMEFUL – SUHUYINI
