By Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia is set to inaugurate the reconstruction of the Appiatse township today, May 2, 2024, aiming to revitalize the community fully.
Tragedy struck on January 20, 2022, when a motorbike rider collided with a truck transporting explosives for the nearby gold mine in Bogoso. The collision triggered a devastating explosion in the vicinity of Appiatse, located approximately 300km (180 miles) from Ghana’s capital, Accra.
Following the initial explosion, residents rushed to the scene to assess the situation. Tragically, a second blast occurred shortly thereafter, causing extensive damage to numerous buildings and resulting in numerous injuries.
Thirteen individuals tragically lost their lives in the incident, while several injured persons were rescued and promptly transferred to Bogoso Government Hospital for medical treatment.
In response to the catastrophe, the government initiated the Appiatse Support Funds, aiming to raise financial resources to aid the victims and facilitate the community’s reconstruction.
The initiative comprised five-member committees, with Rev. Dr. Joyce R. Aryee, a distinguished stateswoman, serving as chairperson.
Additionally, the Appiatse Reconstruction Implementation Team (ARIT) was formed, led by the then Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya North Constituency, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio. Their primary task was to oversee the rebuilding efforts.
The Appiatse redevelopment project commenced in September 2022 and was structured into three distinct phases.
Phase one consists of one hundred and twenty-four (124) Compressed Earth Bricks (CEB) houses, categorized as follows: 41 one-bedroom units, 35 two-bedroom units, 23 three-bedroom units, 15 four-bedroom units, 8 five-bedroom units, 1 six-bedroom unit, and 1 seven-bedroom unit.
Phase two comprises fifty (50) concrete houses, which were partially affected but not entirely destroyed by the explosion.
Phase three encompasses a total of seventy (70) building units. The one to three-bedroom units are semi-detached row houses, while the four to six-bedroom units are detached houses constructed with concrete blocks. The breakdown is as follows: 17 one-bedroom units, 23 two-bedroom units, 14 three-bedroom units, 12 four-bedroom units, 1 five-bedroom unit, and 3 six-bedroom units.
For the entirety of the project, six contractors were engaged to undertake construction.
Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapo, and the Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) are slated to arrive at Appiatse around 3 p.m. Their purpose is to officially commission and hand over the government-led project aimed at providing assistance to the surviving victims of the explosive disaster.
