Bongo(UER), July 23, GNA - The German Government has initiated a housing and educational scheme for flood victims in Bongo District in the Upper East Region.

The package estimated at about 282,000 Ghana Cedis is being implemented by World Vision Ghana, Bongo District Assembly and National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) for 800 households. About 420 victims had their houses completed while houses for 258 had reached the lintel level and 120 others under construction. Under the scheme, the donors provided logistics, building materials and technical advice while the beneficiaries provided labour. On education, 13,423 pupils in 78 schools were being provided with food rations including rice, maize, cowpea, cooking oil and canned fish. Mr Ebenezer Okoampa, Associate Director for Humanitarian and Emergencies Affairs of World Vision Ghana, conducting Mr Friedrich Machein, an official of the German Embassy round the houses and schools said 90 artisans were trained on a new building technology called "Sustainable Earth Construction Technology" to assist the victims. He explained that the new technology was resistant to wind and water and the life span of the houses would be longer than the ordinary mud houses.

Mr Okoampa said the technology had equipped the trained artisans to be self-employed and the people sensitized on the type of houses and areas to build that would not be affected by any disaster in future. Mr Machein commended World Vision Ghana and its partners for the successful implementation of the scheme and urged them to expedite action to complete the remaining houses.

Mr Francis Akurugu Asampana, Bongo District Chief Executive commended German Government and World Vision Ghana for the scheme that would make a positive impact on the lives of the people and appealed to other donors to complement the assembly's efforts to develop the area. Naba Baba Salifu Aleemyaroom, Paramount Chief of Bongo Traditional Area, expressed appreciation to the donors and World Vision Ghana for their assistance.

Madam Benedicta Pealore, Area Manager of World Vision Ghana, in-charge of Bongo District said it was only the German Government that responded to their request for assistance to the victims and commended them for the gesture. Most of the beneficiaries speaking to Ghana News Agency commended the German Government and World Vision Ghana for the assistance to help them improve their living standards after the disaster.