Story By:Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu
Residents of Mepe-Adexorkpodzi, a farming community in the Mepe Traditional Area of the North Tongu District in the Volta Region, are grappling with severe healthcare challenges due to the absence of a health facility in the area.
A cross-section of residents who spoke to journalists said they are forced to travel long distances—often on poor and unsafe roads—to access basic healthcare, a situation they described as dangerous, especially during medical emergencies.
According to them, the nearest health centres are several kilometres away, and the only available means of transportation is by motorbike, which they say is unsafe for expectant mothers and critically ill persons.
Residents of Mepe-Adexorkpodzi say the community has a legitimate need for a Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound to serve the growing population.
They explained that although health clinics exist at Fekpoe and Workpoe, these facilities are far from Adexorkpodzi, compelling residents to travel long distances to seek medical attention.
The community, they noted, is centrally located among several surrounding communities, including Awukukope, Baage, Adidokpoe, Adexor, Zortikpo, Manase, Kpotsienu, Dudevi, Atitetie and Adidovenu, among others.
In this regard, residents believe that constructing a health facility at Mepe-Adexorkpodzi would significantly reduce travel distances and prevent the serious health risks associated with delayed access to medical care.
Madam Lebene Koryekpor, a resident, lamented the ordeal she went through during pregnancy.
“Accessing healthcare is very difficult for us. When I was pregnant, I had to travel all the way to Adidome, Battor and Sogakope for medical care,” she said.
She explained that transportation was expensive and unreliable, adding that when she went into labour at dawn, no vehicle was available to take her to the hospital.
“The motorbike that eventually carried me already had two other passengers. Just as I got off the bike at the hospital, I delivered right in front of the entrance,” she recounted.
Another resident, Dzimado Esi, also expressed frustration over the situation.
“It is very difficult for us to access medical care. When there is no motorbike available, getting a car is almost impossible. Sometimes, we have to walk to another town just to find a motorbike,” she said.
She appealed to the government to provide a health facility at Adexorkpodzi to meet the healthcare needs of residents.
“Our biggest challenge is the lack of a health facility. The nearest health centres are in Battor, Adidome and Sogakope. Vehicles rarely come to our community, so when someone falls sick, the only option is to use an Okada. It is very difficult for us,” she added.
According to her, a trip to Adidome alone costs at least GH¢50 per passenger, meaning three passengers could pay about GH¢150. In the evenings, the fare can rise to GH¢100 per person, making healthcare access unaffordable for many residents.
A stakeholder in the area, Mr. Godsway Hedidor, also appealed to the government for urgent intervention.
“We are appealing to the government, the Volta Regional Minister and our Member of Parliament to come to our aid. We have already secured and prepared a one-acre parcel of land, and we have also provided a private residence to be used temporarily as a health clinic,” he said.
Mr. Hedidor noted that the community has resorted to self-help initiatives in an attempt to access basic healthcare.
“We are appealing to the government, NGOs, philanthropists and the general public to support us in building a health clinic or CHPS compound at Mepe-Adexorkpodzi. This facility will serve over 7,000 people in the area and about 17 surrounding communities,” he appealed.
Distance and Transportation Barriers
The absence of a health facility in Mepe-Adexorkpodzi forces residents to travel long distances—often on motorbikes over deplorable roads—to access healthcare. These delays, residents say, have sometimes resulted in fatalities, particularly among pregnant women and the elderly.
Residents seek NGOs and government help to complete dam project
The residents further appealed to government through the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR) and its implementing agency, the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) and other philanthropists to support them to complete the construction of dam project at Mepe-Adexorkpodzi to alleviate water crisis in the area.
Mepe Adexorkpodzi residents cry for help over poor mobile network connectivity
Thet residents have grappled with the lack of mobile network connectivity, an issue they say is disrupting their daily lives, economic activities, and access to essential services.
Community members often have to gather under a specific tree in search of a signal, making private conversations nearly impossible.
Mobile phones have become essential to everyday life. From communication and business to learning and emergency response, mobile connectivity plays a critical role.
But for residents of Mepe-Adexorkpodzi and nearby communities, enjoying even the most basic mobile services remains a challenge due to the absence of reliable network coverage.
Frustrated residents told journalists that accessing network service often requires them to converge at a particular spot under a tree, eliminating any form of privacy during phone calls.
Some residents shared how this situation affects them, especially during emergencies like childbirth, when contacting health personnel becomes a daunting task.
Others explained how they are forced to place their phones by windows or in specific corners of their rooms just to get a minimal signal.
“We are seriously facing challenges here. We are not like others in Ghana because we struggle to make calls. When a child is sick, it’s a challenge to call for assistance. We are pleading for help,” the residents stressed.
They appealed to the government and telecommunication companies to intervene.
Students in the area also lamented their inability to conduct research or keep up with online academic discussions when they return home from school.
They say poor connectivity sets them back compared to their peers in better-served areas.
As calls grow louder for improved mobile network connectivity, stakeholders, students, farmers and residents alike are appealing to the government and telecommunication companies to come to their aid.
They insisted the situation is no longer bearable, and that it compromises privacy, education, and even lives.
Pix:Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Health Minister and Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu
