Kparimbok residents get relief after 8 years of children learning under trees, dilapidated structures

Hon. Albert Alalzuuga Akuka, the Member of Parliament for the Garu constituency, has handed over a new three-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities to Kparimbok Primary School in the Upper East Region to enhance teaching and learning.

The MP funded the GHC 450,000 project, which includes washrooms for both sexes, a library, and an office.

Previously, students attended classes in dilapidated structures and under trees, which hindered their learning. A visit by a news team revealed that the old classrooms had cracks, loose roofing, and deteriorating wood, making them unusable during the rainy season.

Primary 4, 5, and 6 students were studying in a dilapidated structure owned by St. Joseph Catholic Church, which had no doors or windows and a roof partially ripped off by a rainstorm years ago. KG 1 and 2 classes were held in a self-help project building on the verge of collapse, while Primary 1, 2, and 3 students were learning under trees.

The head teacher described the school's condition as a death trap. Inusah Alaldaag Awini, the Assistant Head Teacher at St. Joseph RC Primary, said that whenever rain was expected, classes were canceled. He also mentioned that animals often took over the classrooms after school hours due to the buildings' poor state.

Mr. Alalzuuga expressed optimism that the new facility would not only improve academic performance and provide relief for the children but also increase student enrollment.

Hon. Albert Alalzuuga indicated that he initiated the school project in 2017 when he was the District Chief Executive of the area. He emphasized that the safety of the children was of paramount importance and that he had promised the people of Kparimbok a proper school structure, which has now been realized.

Health Project:
In Kpatia, the Member of Parliament also handed over a new maternity block to the community. The modern health facility, built through Mr. Alalzuuga's lobbying efforts, will alleviate the burden of residents who previously had to travel long distances for healthcare services. Kpatia residents often commuted to the capital, Garu, for medical care.

The facility was commissioned and handed over to the Ghana Health Service, which will provide quality healthcare services to six surrounding rural communities in the Kpatia electoral area. Wipini Emmanuel, the physician assistant in charge, praised the MP for his contribution but called for further support to renovate and expand the facility to accommodate more patients.

A beneficiary, Madam Grace Awumtik, who had used the facility for her fourth delivery, expressed gratitude for the new maternity block. She mentioned that previously, patients were crowded into one room with men, compromising their privacy.

During the handover ceremony, Hon. Albert Alalzuuga Akuka promised to lobby for an overhead tank for water supply to the health center and other developmental projects for the area. He also pledged to secure a borehole for Kparimbok Primary School before he exits Parliament in 2024.

Albert Akuka Alalzuuga lost his seat to Dr. Thomas Anaba during the NDC primaries.