The Development Queen of Saviefe, Akrofu, Sovie and Alavanyo Development Union (SASADU), Mamaga Ngoyinyonufiaga Akosua I, privately known under the name, Cornelia von Wülfing and Paramount Queen of Alavanyo, Mamaga Ametor II breaking the ground.
As part of measures to ensure the safety and security of pupils at Alavanyo Kpeme, the construction of a new six-unit classroom block has commenced.
The project, which will also have ancillary facilities such as a computer laboratory worth about GH¢600,000, is expected to be completed in three months’ time.
The fast track completion of the project is to allow for swift movement of pupils and teachers of Alavanyo-Kpeme RC Basic School into the new facility.
The current location of the school is on the outskirts of the town where Alavanyo-Kpeme shares a boundary with Nkonya-Tayi, a rival community.
This location happens to be the epicentre of the century-old land dispute between Nkonya in the Biakoye District and Alavanyo in the Hohoe Municipality which has led to loss of many lives and property from reprisal shooting attacks.
The Development Queen of Saviefe, Akrofu, Sovie and Alavanyo Development Union (SASADU), Mamaga Ngoyinyonufiaga Akosua I, privately known under the name – Cornelia von Wülfing – is spearheading the construction of the project.
Children Will Be Safe
In a welcome address at a short ceremony to cut the sod for the new classroom complex, the Paramount Chief of Alavanyo Traditional Area, Togbega Tsedze Atakora VII, thanked the Ngoyinyonufiaga for approaching him about the project and asking which of the SASADU areas should be a beneficiary.
Togbe Atakora underscored the need to relocate the school from its former place to its current location (an old building) in town to ensure the safety of the pupils and their teachers as the school “is prone to attacks”
He explained that although the pupils have never suffered directly from the protracted Nkonya-Alavanyo conflicts (which involved exchange of gun fires from both sides resulting in a number of deaths), it was necessary to relocate the school to a different place until there was truce to avoid the children from experiencing such encounters.
Municipal Chief Executive for Hohoe Teddy Andrew Ofori pledged to provide furniture for the new classroom complex when completed to serve as government’s support to the good cause.
Mr Ofori commended the Ngoyinyonufiaga for her efforts and called on the people to also offer some level of support especially communal labour for the early completion of the project.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)