Residents of Jijen, a community in the southern part of the Sissala East Municipality in the Upper West Region, have undertaken significant self-help development to boost social infrastructure.
A visit by the news team to the area revealed that the community had constructed a maternity block for its clinic and added a ward with over 15 beds to expand healthcare delivery.
In the education sector, the people of Jijen have also made strides by constructing a three-unit classroom block for their only basic school. In addition, they have put up a six-unit teachers’ quarters equipped with washrooms and kitchen facilities to attract and retain teachers. The community further supported the school with water storage systems.
Other projects undertaken include the renovation of the central mosque, the drilling of seven boreholes, and the mechanisation of two of the facilities to improve access to potable water.
Speaking to the news team, the Assembly Member for the area, Hon. Adamu Kagia, said the community is determined to contribute their quota to augment government’s efforts.
Some community members, Iddrisu Basuglo and Benin Sulemanio, explained that funding for the projects came mainly from communal efforts.
They said the community raised initial funds by harvesting and selling rosewood, and later supplemented the proceeds with their share of compensation received from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
According to them, unlike some communities that distributed such compensation to individuals, the people of Jijen opted to invest the funds into development projects for the collective benefit of all.
“We decided to use the money to undertake projects that would benefit everyone in the community and also serve as a legacy for future generations,” they stated.
The residents appealed to government and other stakeholders to support the community by improving road infrastructure and extending telecommunications services to the area to complement their efforts.
