The Apeate Support Fund Committee has assured the entire citizenry, particularly donors of the Fund of the judicious use of their contributions by the Apeate Reconstruction Implementation Team.
A member of the Committee and Senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko, gave the assurance when some of the Committee members paid a working visit to Apeate yesterday. The visit was aimed at inspecting progress of work on the reconstruction of the model green community.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairperson of the Fund, Dr. Rev. Joyce Aryee, she said the Committee, having taken a tour of the reconstruction site and is highly satisfied and impressed with the work done so far.
“So far, the Fund has been approving money for this work and receiving progress reports while interacting with the Implementation Team… But today, we decided to visit the site and witness for ourselves what the monies are being used for. I, must, say we’re really impressed and satisfied with the work and we would like to assure Ghanaians and all donors that their monies are being put to good use,” she assured.
Commendation
As a Community Development Analyst, Dr. Tsiboe-Darko lauded the efforts and work that have been put into the reconstruction and in upgrading the existing structures.
This, she believes, is the first point of call, as far as improving the livelihoods of a community is concerned. She stressed that in the hierarchy of needs, shelter is very important, saying “providing shelter for individuals, speaks a lot about how you have improved their standard of living”.
She was happy about the social cohesion that had been maintained in the construction of the community, adding that “neighbours can still have that bond they are used to even in their new found community”.
She commended the Apeate Reconstruction Implementation Team, chaired by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, responsible for Lands and Forestry, Benito Owusu-Bio, for their tireless efforts in ensuring that the promise government made to restore the lives and livelihoods of the people is fulfilled.
She thanked the contractors for their daily effort in ensuring that regardless of the many challenges, they still pushed through to get the work progressing. She indicated that the “care and concern attached to their work, is worth commending”.
Mr. Sulemana Koney, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines and member of the Committee, expressed the hope that the work progression, will go faster than before to meet set targets.
He noted that it will also prevent the rains from distracting the beauty of their work. This, according to him, will motivate people to give more even for the second phase of the project.
Dr. Koney also praised individuals who have donated to the Fund, appealing for more funds to engineer the completion of the model green community.
Appreciation
On behalf of his people, the Omanhene of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, Nana Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, appreciated the Apeate Reconstruction Implementation Team and the Contractors for their efforts.
Nana Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, who is also a member of the Apeate Support Fund Committee, hoped that soon the work will be done for his people to have good place of abode.
The Municipal Chief Executive of the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality, Isaac Dasmani, who joined the team on the tour, disclosed that his Municipality had already started registering the structures with their rightful owners to ensure easy identification once completion is done.
As part of their tour, the team also met with the project contractors on site and urged them to expedite work on the projects before the rains sets in.
Welcoming the charge, the contractors also appealed to the Apeate Support Fund Committee for an advance payment to help speed up their work as requested. They added that it will also aid them in getting the building roofed before the May-June rains.
The team also paid a visit to the Odumase Temporary settlement, the site housing the indigenes of Apeate temporarily, to check up on their well-being and welfare.
Present during the tour were Mrs. Josephine Baddoo, Administrator of the Support Fund Committee; Mr. Robert Gyamfi, member of the Apeate Reconstruction Implementation Team and Manager for Stakeholder Communications and Community Engagements at FGR; and Mr. Walter Semordzie, the Site Manager with the Project Consultants for the project.
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