Regional News of Tuesday, 24 September 2013

Source: dailyguideghana.com

We have been abandoned - Langma community

AN ELDER of Langma, a fishing community in the Ga South Municipal Assembly, Peter Baaku, has expressed great worry that his community has been abandoned by politicians and the state to its fate.

He said politicians visit the place regularly ahead of party elections and make mouthwatering promises, only to abandon them once in power.

Langma, a predominant Ga-Adangbe community, is a boundary settlement that lies between the Central and the Greater Accra Regions.

He said the people are mostly engaged in fishing activities and produce a lot of vegetables which is often transported to Kokrobite, the nearest community.

Mr Baaku who is an advisor to the Chief of Langma Community, Nii Buernotey Baaku I, said this when two institutions, Youth Link Ghana and Rev Peter Dagadu Memorial Methodist Church, Osu, made donations to the staff and pupils of Educhild Community School at Langma.

The elder expressed worry about the absence of an assembly member in the community to represent them; this he added was a great set back to their community development.

He added that expectant mothers would also have to travel out of the community ahead of delivery or when it happens at night, the only option is for members of community to carry such a person by foot to Kokrobite for medical attention.

Mr Peter Baaku further indicated that the absence of places of convenience forced people to ease themselves in polythene bags and throw them about.

The CEO of Youth Link Ghana, Kakra Opoku Agyakwa said they were touched by the plight of the people of Langma, especially the children, who were mostly found on the beaches because their parents could hardly afford paying for their school uniforms and sandals.

Mr Agyakwa explained that the items which include exercise books, school uniforms, shoes and sandals and a number of other clothing were donations from schools and churches they appealed to for support.

The Programmes Director of the school, Eileen Naa Adorkor Allotey Annan said the pupils in the school were picked from the beach by a team from her organization “Educate The Child For Life” in collaboration with elders of the community and their parents.

Ms Eileen Allotey Annang who is also an educational consultant said the 120 pupils admitted into the school do not pay school fees as any attempt to do so would send them back to the beaches.

She appealed for further support from churches, schools, organizations and individuals who share in the vision to get children off the beaches to support in cash or kind.