Gwira (W/R), April 30, GNA- The lack of employment opportunities coupled with the unavailability of electricity and potable water had become the bane of the people of Gwira, Bamiankor, Eshiem and 10 other communities in the Nzema East District of the Western Region. Additionally, there are no good roads in the communities and no communication facilities cutting the communities from the rest of the world.

Very Reverend Benjamin Donkor disclosed these to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) over the weekend at Gwira and appealed for immediate support for the communities. He said apart from the Gwira-Eshiem community clinic operated by the Methodist Church Ghana, there are three clinics at Banso, Kutukrom and Bamianko, but due to the bad road networks, commercial vehicles refuse to ply them.

He also mentioned premature marriages and teenage pregnancies as some of the social problems facing the communities, saying that they do not have the chance to go for antenatal check up. Very Reverend Donkor said the sick and pregnant are usually carried in hammocks for several hours before accessing health care in any of the clinics.

Rev. Donkor said the plight of the people of Gwira with its capital at Bamiankor was pathetic and needs urgent government attention to reverse the deplorable living conditions of the people.

He noted that Non governmental organisations (NGOs) in health, education, sanitation and environmental protection could assist the community by providing them with potable sources of water; income generating activities and the formation of cooperatives to enable them work together and improve their living conditions. Rev. Donkor noted that chieftaincy disputes had become the main stay of the people due to the lack of employment opportunities and educational opportunities.

He said presently there were only five junior secondary schools (JSS) and they are scattered sparsely throughout the area. Rev. Donkor stressed that the best results of the Gwira community JSS was aggregate 22 and many of the children are usually reluctant to pursue their education after such results.