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Monday, December 26, 2011

NSS - GOOD OR BAD

“We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer” Proverbs 16:9 NLT.

Mr. Zor
Being a temporarily bachelor  for the rest of ones life is not worthy of emulation, not say a psychological trauma for most men. If one could not understand himself, how can such person comprehend the dealings of nature?
Never did I thought of going to the interior part of this our peaceful country, Ghana for a mission.
I have always being optimistic about spending all the moments right in the nation’s number one city, Accra.
On the contrary, when I checked the placements on the internet, at a spot my optimism was truncated.
I was posted to Wa, the regional capital of the Upper West Region to undergo a voluntary patriotic national assignment as the National Service Scheme as being called for all graduates from the tertiary and willingly applicants across the country.
In fact the posting made me asked this multiple million dollar questions- Do I deserve it. Why Me? Is the NSS being subhuman towards me, and many more.
My mind progressively reminded me of a saying that;”To be successful in life, one must expect the best and prepared for the worst” , made me blanked out the above questions.

Mr. Zor

However my posting to the Nadowli Sampina Junior High School (JHS) in Wa on the National Service Scheme catapulted me as pupils’ teacher.
I had no choice than to kowtow to the demands of the secretariat since it general serves as the heaven gate towards employment in the years ahead.
JOURNEY.
At exactly 9:00 pm on Monday, October 3, 2011, I boarded an O.A travel and tour air condition coach with a 14 inches plasma television from circle-Accra to Wa, Upper West.
On the way to the said geographical location, the coach with passengers was given a police escort with the notion of cracking down the antics of criminals when it springs up.
For me, it was a thirteen hours peregrination to Wa. My journey to Wa highlighted some sceneries, places like Techiman, Nkwakwa, Mole park and several hidden towns and tourist sites.
Then, the next day I was in Wa around 10:00 am. As it has been structured, I went to the regional national service secretariat to fill some requirements.
IN WA.
Meanwhile there were over two-hundred national service personnel from other part of the country to undergo the registration. I must confess that it was a tiring and unprofessional on the part of workers as the place was totally disorganized.
The national service personnel have to queue for several hours for the appointment letter to be endorsed by the regional director due to insufficient work force.
In spite of such a welcoming frustration, I passed through the mill to have my letter of appointment stamped and a photography snapped for identification cards (ID).
Fortunately and unfortunately, being a stranger coupled with the fact that there was no chance for me to get a vehicle to Sampina, through  a friends effort in Bolgatanga, i passed out the night with his friends in a hostel.
These good Samaritans were Eric and Yaw both students of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Wa.
The next morning, I boarded a cabby to the Wa lorry station and join a bus popularly known in the national circuit as ‘kuffour bus' to Nadowli where I have been posted to practice the service.
Initially I was supposed to visit Sampina JHS to have my forms stamped by the headmaster before handing over to the district for another registration. In any case I did the reverse.
By so doing, I registered again at the Nadowli district service secretariat when I bought a fuel in the sum of 7GH¢ for a motor cyclist to ride me to and fro Sampina JHS to have the forms endorsed by the headmaster.
Suddenly, I came into contact with the assistant headmaster, Mr. Timothy Anchiihe Balee who assigned his signature on my documents in place of the headmaster. That day was Wednesday, October 5, 2011.
Again I confess that it was a hectic moment for me when I did not know whom to turn to immediately after the registration at the district.
Coincidentally the Lord revealed five angels to take me to the said place. They were the driver, conductor, the assemblyman and two P.T.A executive members.
Dramatically the conductor did not spared me as he commanded to pay 10GH¢ for my luggage. I must say that the presence of these denizens of Sampina inspired and instilled into some spectrum of confidence as a practicing pupils’ teacher.
ARRIVAL
Upon my arrival at the town, I was taken to the Sampina Naa (chief) where after series of verbal salvo I was given an accommodation.
After spending some weeks as a temporarily bachelor, I went to the Wa market to purchase some foodstuffs to put my culinary skills to test.
I fully started teaching forms one to three classes Social Studies and English on Monday, October, 10.
With somw pupIls'
Apart from my teaching onus, I was their chaplain and Physical Education (PE) master.
Aside this, the saying ‘God time is the best’ materialize on October, 24 when  another national service personnel from the University of Ghana Legon, Mr. Ebenezer Nana Okyere Akrofi joined me as room mates at Sampina.
We used part of our time to visit the Black Volta which separates Ghana from Burkina Faso.
Black Volta
I was on the rest of the waves as I did expect such moments to transpire.
PROFILE OF SAMPINA-SAAN
Sampina is a town under the charikpong community with its distict as Nadowli. Nadowli is made up of twenty-five communities. Sampina consist of six towns. Namely Saan, Naribu, Base, Kuo, Ka kala including Sampina.
SAMPINA-SAAN CHPs ZONE
Sampina-Saan CHPs zone ling between charikpong as a sub district to the south and to the east boarded by the Black Volta. The communities are linked by feeder roads and footpaths.
LANGUAGE
The main languages spoken are Dagaare and Wale.
OCCUPATION
Ghana's longest traditional beer, Pito
The natives of Sampina mostly farmers, fishermen and pito brewers. The dominant crops cultivated are millet, maize, rice, bambara beans and groundnuts.
RELIGION
The people are mainly traditional believers, Christians and few of them Muslims.
BUILDINGS
The apartment
All buildings in the communities are put up with either mud bricks and roofted with zinc and wood.
HEALTH FACILITY
Sampina-Saan CHPS Zone
There are two health facilities; charikpong health center and Saan-Samlina Community Health Protection Services (CHPs) zone managed by trained health persons.
SCHOOLS
Sampina JHS
There are three (3) day care centers, two (2) primary schools, two (2) Junior High Schools (JHS) and one (1) vocational school.
RESOURCES
Sampina-Saan communities have the following resources like gold, diamond and others.
WATER
Mr. Zor
Sampina has got more one bore holes supplying the denizens with water.
CHALLENGES
The biggest challenge there is the poor lighting system. The town has no electricity power when wire cables have been laid through out the place. Again there are less recreational facilities and this is not auguring well for them.

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To be continued.

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