Residents of Bomfa-Achiase in the Ejisu Municipality of the Ashanti Region have cautioned politicians not to attempt campaigning in the area until they provide them with basic amenities like public toilets.
According to them, the community has over the years not received their share of the national cake even after incessant promises by politicians.
With over four thousand residents, Bomfa-Achiase has never had a single modern public toilet facility built for them by the Assembly.
This public toilet facility which was built by the community is now dilapidated.
Speaking to Citi News, the Assembly member for the area, Osei Kofi Peter said “since 1992 up to this time, we have never had any toilet facility. Residents created a makeshift local structure and three years ago the structure collapsed. Both men and women have resorted to open defecation. They go into the bushes and sometimes the refuse dump sites to ease themselves; It’s an eyesore,” he lamented.
Abandoned school
Meanwhile, the oldest serving community school, Bomfa Achiase M/A JHS, built in 1965, has also been abandoned after a rainstorm destroyed the roofing in April last year.
Osei Kofi Peter who also doubles as a teacher, says “when we wrote to the assembly after the storm last year, they said there was no money. Later, they claim the building is not in the right shape so they need to build a new one. Meanwhile, the school is a double school. One half of it has been ripped off and now the A and B classes are together with about 80 students.”
Osei Kofi Peter says assembly members have been able to put up some pillars in a move to repair the damaged section but work has been stalled because there are no funds to complete it.
According to him, the situation has compelled the headmaster of the school to turn away students from other communities. He is also planning to lead the students in a demonstration against authorities soon.
“Students are seated in threes and fours and because of this the headmaster has decided not to admit anymore students from the neighboring communities. The headmaster told me that they have planned with the students to demonstrate against the assembly and the committee members in the community.”
No campaigning, no vote
Residents have vowed not to allow any political party to mount a campaign platform in the community ahead of the November polls this year.
They also threatened not to vote if their concerns are not addressed.
“As for the politicians, we are telling them that if they will come here for campaign, we will not allow them because we are tired of their promises. We always vote but we don’t see any development in the community”. Even on election day when they bring the ballot boxes, we will not vote. When we refuse I’m sure they will come and take the boxes away because we can’t continue to live in this mess after all these years” he concluded.
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By: Farida Shaibu/citifmonline.com/Ghana