The Vice President and Flagbearer of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has commissioned 124 housing units in Appiatse, the community that was destroyed by a fatal gas explosion in 2022.
In the unprecedented, deadly explosion, almost the entire Appiatse community in the Western Region was left uninhabitable, leaving many dead, injured and community members displaced as their homes were burnt.
A Government delegation led by Vice President Bawumia immediately visited the area with emergency relief items and promised swift action to rebuild the community for those affected.
Following the construction, commissioning and handing over of 124 housing units, with water and drainage system, electricity, tarred streets and other important needs on Thursday afternoon, that promise has been fulfilled.
Ahead of the commissioning, relieved and excited members of the Appiatse community held a candlelight vigil, in remembrance of their loved ones who lost their lives during the explosion, as well as to celebrate their new homes.
A government that cares
Speaking at the commissioning, Vice President Bawumia said the swift reconstruction of the community, as President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promised, underlines the government’s commitment to the welfare of those affected and the people.
Dr. Bawumia recalled with sadness the January 20, 2022 events, adding that the commissioning, performed amidst fanfare by the community and rainfall, marked a special blessing from God.
“On Thursday, 20th January 2022, we witnessed a very tragic incident in this community, at this same place where we are gathered today. An explosion shook our foundations, shattered lives, and left scars etched deep into our collective memory. It left the Appiatse community and the entire country in deep sorrow and distress,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“The following day, on behalf of the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I led a delegation, which included Ministers, heads of the security agencies, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and other officials of the Presidency, to commiserate with the victims of the incident.
“I saw, at first hand, the devastation that the incident has caused to this once vibrant community, with some of our people, unfortunately, losing their lives, and others suffering various degrees of injuries, as well as the near-total collapse of the entire Appiatse community.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen, today, we gather at this same venue, not just to commemorate the tragic event, but also to celebrate resilience, compassion, and the indomitable spirit of the people of Appiatse.
“While mourning those who lost their lives through this tragic incident, we stand in solidarity with the survivors who bear both physical and emotional wounds, and recognize the heroic efforts of our emergency responders, exemplified in the selflessness that defines our nation.”
“There was fire and we cried. Today, as we rejoice, God has opened the sky and sent down rainfall. This can only be a blessing from God,” he said.
Dr. Bawumia stressed that the adversity that hit Appiatse and the entire nation has had a way of revealing our strength to “rise, rebuild, and re-imagine.”
“From this tragedy emerged resilience. The resilience to rebuild the community. The resilience to bring hope to the suffering, and the unwavering commitment to lift the downtrodden.”
“As we can all attest, the Government, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, acted swiftly following the incident, and in collaboration with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies, relief was brought to the victims of the incident through the provision of needed items, the diversion of the road that was blown away, and its eventual fixing, and the provision of temporary accommodation for all those displaced.”
Senior government officials who accompanied Dr. Bawumia included the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Abu Jinaport, Western Regional Minister Kwabena Otchere Darko-Mensah, and Minister for Information Designate, Fati Abubakar and others.