Akohiasiasi, a definition of a deprived community.

I was on this day, the 29^th of May, 2013, on an educational tour of some selected communities (village) in the Volta and Eastern Regions of Ghana.  The purpose of this tour was to sensitize the inhabitants of these communities on some identified issues of prevalence in their communities. Amongst such issues are, teenage pregnancy, low level of girl child education, women’s overly dependence on their male counterparts, the list continues. 

 

A typical type of the vehicles that visit this community occasionally

Prior to this tour, I was certainly privy in a way to some of the problems that prevailed, but, the reality that welcomed me was to an extent, the extremity of what I initially expected and very breath taking.  Can you believe that in this time and age, others’ elsewhere have to walk miles and miles away from home before they can access education?  Can you believe that, others’ elsewhere “only on some specific days” have cars or Lorries patronise their place of settlement just because the routes leading to these places are deteriorated, and far beyond Motability? The devastating aspect of issues is that, nobody can reach you on phone and vice versa. Not even Mount Everest can resurrect the dying signals of the much touted “everywhere you go network”. “Ah! This is a community barred from the luxuries of life”, I retorted to myself.

Therefore, it came as no surprise when I heard that teachers on time without number have refused postings to these areas. Residents of the major cities, thus Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Ho and other notable cities, definitely, would agree with me that, the traditional desktop computer is far paving way for the palm tops, smart phones, tablets and the latest of technology, but interestingly, just attempt showing a mere picture of a desktop computer to children and natives of these communities and you would be mistaken for the next Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and other known genius, when it comes to the world of technological development.

Probably, you might qualify for the long awaited messiah, I guess.

But the number one question is, how can the unfortunate students (pupils) who find themselves in this community compete with their other counterparts in advanced schools, educationally and technological, since information communication technology (ICT) as a course have become compulsorily, a part of the basic school curriculum. Your guess certainly, is as good as mine.

The headmaster of one of the schools I visited, without any moment to sigh, would be taken for a God, or a kind. Why?  He is the only fellow in the community who owns a desktop computer whose other accessories are to an extent, worlds apart. This was located in his office. The only difficulty is that, because the whole community is in no way connected to the national grid, he “only” on special occasions boots this out-dated desktop computer. This is made possible by the sheer benevolence of the community church, which provides him with the needed fuel, periodically. How on earth can a student in this type of community compete with his/her colleagues, who in the cities have access to the computer on a daily and regular basis?

One bizarre happening that would never escape my retentive ability is the situation of Students in the upper classes of five and six who all before the arrival of the team I found myself in have all deserted their classrooms, simply to help their parents on their farms. The only explanation one elder could muster to me was, “this is the raining season as you already know, and as usual, after their normal first break, they all took a French leave, they would come again, but not until the next day”    

On a lighter note, how many times have you not been dazzled by the flare and articulate nature of your younger siblings who find themselves in lower stages in terms of class levels. A situation which on occasions sent fear taking hold of your whole being due to the impending embarrassment that may befall you if you do not refresh your knowledge on changing trends. But it would interest you to know that, not even a class four student in this community can courageously and convincingly mention his or her name, not to talk of writing it. But should they be blamed for it?  The answer obviously is a no.

 Students in this community found themselves in a situation where even if there is the urge to learn, that urge would be put to an immediate premature death for the sole reason that, one must compete for the only available source of light to his/her family, which is the lantern, and when the urge to study for a particular evening fails to topple the family’s topmost need on the scale of preference, then studies must wait, probably, for another day. This problem definitely is a recipe for student’s failure academically.

Interestingly, there was this poster of our current President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama I chanced on what appears to be a long time deserted hat, awaiting the fate this period of heavy rain brings to it. Without the help of a Sister in the vehicle I was on board, the one with the inscription “Free S.H.S is coming” could have easily escaped me. These posters and the reason(s) for their presence in this village obviously need no brain racking.   The politician in search of the mandate of the natives has found its way into this hinterland, but has woefully failed to meaningfully, address the problems hindering their progress. “For they (politicians) are able to make their way out into this village, but only on election times, the aftermath, we better not speak of”  One native attested.

This write-up, I beseech in no way should be taken for a hyperbole. I speak the reality, and if any soul doubts this reality, I can only advise we take time off our busy schedule’s to tour some of these areas and see the reality for ourselves. Its high time Government as a state entity begins to channel most of its resource into addressing problems faced by such communities. Development certainly must not only remain in the cities only, it must travel beyond them.

Felixscorner.blogspot.com

NB: Akohiasiasi is a farming community located in the Upper Manyo Krobo District of the Eastern Region, and is approximately, a twenty minutes’ drive from the famous Asesewa Township.