On May 22, 2025, 3news.com published a story on how rainstorm had caused havoc at Sawaliga Basic School in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region with almost all the roof ripped off and old wooden support exposed and rotten.
The situation attracted the attention of a popular businessman and a philanthropist, Alhaji Seidu Agongo through a resident, Solomon Zinekena, and within three weeks the school block looks as newly constructed after a complete renovation works was carried out.
The unfortunate incident happened less than two weeks before BECE started and the final year students at the school were confused and dejected due to lack of classroom space to learn for the exams.
Despite the philanthropic gesture by Alhaji Seidu Agongo, the school is facing infrastructure challenges. Three classes are now merged into one classroom, making teaching and learning difficult.
The Assistant Head Teacher of Sawaliga Basic School, Jonas Mbazoyinbil, showered praises on the philanthropist for coming to their aid when all hopes were lost and at the time the school was facing infrastructure gaps.
“With the limited classroom block that we have, and having a three-unit classroom block ripped off, it was a very big challenge, and we didn’t foresee any help coming immediately. But we want to use this opportunity to thank our helper, our philanthropist Hon Mr. Seidu Agongo, and on behalf of the school and the community, we are so grateful for this Swift and quick intervention,” he said.
He added “The rain that is coming in, it is going to negatively affect us in terms of academics. Every short while we had to sit outside for teaching and learning and it was not that easy, but I can tell you as we have it rehabilitated three classroom block now, everybody is excited and is going to go a long way to help improve the academic work we are doing in the school and God bless Alhaji Seidu Agongo.”
Jonas Mbazoyinbil also raised the issue of lack of teacher accommodation which is the reason why teachers refuse postings to the school.
A youth leader and a social activist in Sawaliga Community, Solomon Zinekena, through whom the school was rehabilitated expressed his utmost satisfaction and appreciation to Alhaji Seidu Agongo for restoring hope to the poor school children when all hopes were lost.
“The District Assembly has a lot to do in infrastructure development in the district so I decided to think outside the box by sharing the pictures of the school after the rainstorm to friends and on social media and some media friends to seek for support and within a short while, Alhaji Seidu Agongo reached out to me and immediately a contractor arrived with his workers and that is the result we are seeing today,” he stated.
“This gesture by the philanthropist is organic and is not influenced by any idea that he (Seidu Agongo) wants the media to capture it, it is not about that because he has people at heart and is because he wants to serve humanity. Today Sawaliga people are very proud of him, we are celebrating him today, we salute him today and we will continue to pray for him to be able to do more for Ghanaians,” Solomon Zinekena added.
The Tindana, the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) Chairman and some residents expressed their joy in the rehabilitation of the three-unit classroom block that was hit hard by the rainstorm.
The PTA Chairman used the opportunity to appeal to government and other stakeholders in development to help the school with the provision of more classroom blocks to reduce overcrowding and merging more than one classes into one classroom.
