News

Seidu Agongo Renovates Storm-Ravaged Sawaliga Basic School in Talensi

• By Ebenezer Albidar Narh
• July 08, 2025
• 0

Philanthropist and businessman, Alhaji Seidu Agongo has come to the rescue of Sawaliga Basic School in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, rebuilding the school after it was devastated by a violent rainstorm on May 22, 2025.

The storm left the school in ruins, tearing off its roof, destroying classroom walls, and rendering hundreds of students without a safe space to learn just weeks ahead of their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Photos of the destruction, which circulated widely on social media, drew public concern. A heartfelt appeal posted by youth leader Solomon Zinekena captured national attention, with a direct plea: "Our children need your help."

Alhaji Agongo, deeply moved by the images, immediately move into action. “Those were not just pictures,” he said. “Those were my own children, Ghana’s future, sitting in the dirt and loitering among nails.”

Without waiting for formal processes, he personally commissioned a team of contractors to begin emergency renovation. Within three weeks, the school was transformed into a clean and well-furnished learning environment, with new roofing, painted walls, and solid flooring.

The restoration brought relief to teachers and students alike. Assistant Head Teacher Jonas Mbazoyinbil described the days following the storm as hopeless. “We couldn’t hold proper classes. The children were loitering, and many were scared to return to the premises,” he said.

During a brief commissioning ceremony, community elders and residents expressed their gratitude to Agongo, recalling how students previously studied on broken concrete blocks and under trees. Final-year students had been preparing for exams without proper shelter, using water-damaged textbooks and makeshift classrooms.

In appreciation, the community enskinned Alhaji Agongo in absentia as their Development Chief, presenting him with a citation, a sheep, and a traditional smock as tokens of respect.


Source: Edmond Gyebi