Regional News of Wednesday, 19 March 2008

Source: GNA

Severe rainstorm damages schools, clinic in Kumasi

Kumasi, March 19, GNA - Blocks of classrooms at Amanfrom cluster of schools had their roofs ripped off and a local clinic was destroyed when a severe rainstorm hit Kumasi and its environs on Tuesday. Computers; textbooks; furniture; school uniforms and electrical appliances worth about GH¢20,000 were also destroyed. The clinic belonged to the Come Preach Christ (CPC) Ministries in Kumasi.

Elder Kofi Boakye, a member of the CPC Ministries, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency at the scene of the disaster, said the storm, which started at about 1530 hours on Tuesday, lasted for only 15 minutes. He said there were no casualties even though school was in session.

Elder Boakye expressed grief that the disaster apart from disrupting learning, had also affected the delivery of clinical services at the clinic, which was the only one serving Amanfrom and nearby communities.

The situation, he said, had also compelled the school with a total population of 926 to close down indefinitely pending the rehabilitation of the buildings.

Elder Boakye said final year students, who were preparing for this year's Basic Education Certificate Examination sometime in April, had been asked to attend classes to enable them to complete their syllabus. He has, therefore, appealed to the Metropolitan Assembly, the general public, philanthropists and civil society organizations to help to rehabilitate the school for serious academic work to resume.