Zuro-kpumi community cries for a school and drinking water

Zuro-kpumi is a farming community in the Mion District with a population of about 500 residents.

In this community poverty is more than just visible; it can be loudly heard here. The community has no clean sources of drinking water, no electricity, no health post, no toilet facilities and they shelter under rickety mud houses.

School children learn under a structure built of tree stumps and roofed with thatch work on by the community members. But even more disturbing is the absence of teachers in the school.

Compelling parents desirous of having their children educated to work on the farmland of a volunteer teacher from Tamale in exchange for tuition for their children.

An opinion leader in the community, Dawuda Haruna says the closest school is more than an hour walk away. And their little children cannot walk there.

“The issue of the school is a big headache for us so if a child can’t ride there on a bicycle, then the child can’t go to school. Some of the children walking around follow their mothers to the bush or go to the farms,” Haruna said.

He said for those who couldn’t afford a bicycle it means their children would not go to school.

Mr. Haruna also complains that their wife's and children walk for one and half hours to the next community in order to get access to health care for themselves and their children apart from competing with animals for sources of drinking water.

The Assemblyman for Jimle electoral area Ndung Amin tells Joy News the issues raised by the community is a matter of concern for the Mion District Assembly.

He said it is part of the agenda of the assembly as discussed in the general meeting to provide a school and a borehole for the community.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com| Hashmin Mohammed| Joy News