Residents of Vea and its surrounding communities in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region are struggling to access education and healthcare delivery, among other social services, due to the recent torrential rains.
The rains have flooded the main road near the Vea Dam, which links the communities to the Regional Capital, Bolgatanga and the District capital, Bongo and the situation is making it difficult for commuters using the main Vea-Gowrie Road to cross to the communities.
The road, which is used by many people and vehicles, lies between the dam and the spillway that was constructed far off the main bank of the dam.
As a result, communities such as Zorko, Nyariga, Lungu, Balungu, Namoo, Sambolgo, Gambrongo and Vea, among others, have been cut off from accessing Gowrie, Zaare, Bongo, Nyariga, and Bolgatanga among others due to the floods.
When the Ghana News Agency visited the place after a heavy rain, schoolchildren and government workers particularly teachers and health workers, were left stranded and not able to access their respective schools and health facilities.
Traders and other people who access the road on daily basis to carry out their activities were also left stranded, with some being carried in canoes while several hectares of farmlands were affected by the flood water.
Mr Dickson Nyaaba, a canoe operator, indicated that the cost of carrying one person across the water was GH₵5.00, however, if the person had a motorbike in addition, the person was charged GH₵12.00.
Madam Priscilla Atanga, a teacher, who uses the road on a daily basis indicated that the situation was having a toll on her and her colleagues as they spent a lot in order to access their workplaces daily.
She said using the canoe to cross to the workplace and vice versa was risky to their lives and appealed to the government urgently work to address the challenge.
Mr Robert Ayariga, the Assemblyman for the Vea Electoral Area, who had constructed a canoe to assist government workers to cross the water at no cost, indicated that the problem had persisted since the construction of the Vea Irrigation Dam almost 60 years ago.
He said during the rainy season, commuters found it difficult to use the road and the situation was affecting education, healthcare delivery and economic activities.
He said on many occasions some canoes had collapsed in the middle of the water, destroying properties and threatening lives although no life had been lost so far.
“We have two primary schools, two junior high schools and a health centre and because we do not have enough accommodation here for the staff, they have to commute from Bolgatanga to these schools and health centre but now some are not coming because they cannot cross and some are scared to sit in the canoe,” he said.
He said several appeals made to the appropriate authorities, including the Bongo District Assembly, the Feeder Roads Department and the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority to construct a bridge over the road to ease their plight had proven futile.
He said, “as a community, we are calling on the government to come to our aid, even if they can construct a walkway for us to only walk and cross without vehicles, it will help us a lot.”
Ms Rita Atanga, the Bongo District Chief Executive, told the GNA the issue was a yearly ritual and that she would work with appropriate stakeholders to address the challenge.
