The residents of Damanko in the Nkwanta North District of Ghana's Oti Region are calling for the urgent commissioning of the abandoned E-Block Community Day Senior High School. They describe the situation as a painful setback to education and development in the area. The project, initiated during the administration of former President John Dramani Mahama, has remained non-operational since 2015 despite being largely completed.
The community members express frustration and disappointment, particularly parents who must send their children to senior high schools outside the district at high financial and emotional cost. The prolonged delay has left families disadvantaged, with many struggling to cope with the added expenses. The residents have appealed to key authorities, including the District Chief Executive, Dordoe Kudjoe Isaiah, Member of Parliament John Kwabena Oti Bless, and the Ministry of Education.
According to Kwabena Vincent, the assemblyman for Damanko East, the project was about 95 per cent complete before the change in government in 2016. However, after eight years under the current NPP administration, the remaining 5% has still not been addressed in any meaningful way. The assemblyman argues that the completion of the E-Block is not only an education priority but a practical intervention that would ease the burden on households.
A visit to the school facility by the Ghana News Agency found it standing but unused, years after construction reached near completion. The empty classrooms and idle infrastructure represent a lost opportunity for thousands of young people in the district who need access to secondary education closer to home. The situation has left residents feeling that the community is being denied the benefits the facility was meant to provide.
The residents believe that the school could stimulate local development by creating jobs and attracting commerce. They anticipate employment opportunities for teachers and non-teaching staff, as well as increased business activity for food vendors, transport operators, stationery sellers, and other small enterprises that typically grow around an active school environment. This, they argue, would have a positive impact on the local economy.
The community is urging the authorities to take immediate action to complete the project and commission the school. They emphasize that with a functioning school in the area, students would spend less time and money travelling or relocating, while parents would spare the added expenses of accommodation, transport, and upkeep in distant towns. The residents are hopeful that their concerns will be addressed, and the school will be operational soon.
The Damanko E-Block SHS project has become a symbol of the challenges faced by the community in accessing quality education. The residents' demands for the commissioning of the school are a testament to their commitment to improving education and development in the area. The authorities have been urged to take concrete steps to address the concerns of the community and ensure that the school is completed and operational.
Key points
- The Damanko community is calling for the urgent commissioning of the long-stalled E-Block Community Day Senior High School.
- The project was 95% complete in 2016 but has remained unfinished under the current administration.
- The community believes the school will stimulate local development, create jobs, and provide access to secondary education for thousands of young people.
