Thousands of enthusiastic supporters have welcomed the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills, to the Eastern Region as he begins a five-day campaign tour of one of the strongholds of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The Eastern Region has been one of the most difficult regions for the NDC in recent elections, and Prof. Mills expects to use the final phase of the electioneering to explain his programmes and vision to the people and the need for them to give him their mandate this time.
In the 2004 presidential election, Prof. Mills obtained 38.3 per cent of the 920,672 votes cast in the Eastern Region, as against President Kufuor’s 60.2 per cent
The party also won only six out of the 28 parliamentary seats in the region.
It is, therefore, the expectation of the party that the region will this time fall to the NDC’s message of change for “a better man for a better Ghana” to ensure its eventual success at the upcoming polls.
At Nsawam, the supporters met Prof Mills amid singing, drumming and winding of their hands and fingers to symbolise the party’s message of change.
Addressing the ecstatic crowd which had converged on the Nsawam Lorry Park, Prof. Mills stated that Ghanaians were now yearning for a change and that the people in the Eastern Region could not be left out in what he termed “the blowing wind of change”.
He assured Ghanaians that he would be a president not only for NDC but also for all Ghanaians.
He took the opportunity to introduce the party’s parliamentary candidate for Aburi-Nsawam , Madam Aku Ankrah, to the people and urged them to vote for her.
“If NPP supporters are here, let me assure them that it is because of them that I am here. I will not discriminate when I am given the nod to lead the country. I will also be their president,” he said.
At Adeiso and Nyanoa in the Upper West Akim Constituency where mini rallies were held, people lined up the streets to catch a glimpse of Prof Mills and his entourage. He also introduced the party’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Joseph Amankwanor, to the people.
At Asamankese in the Lower West Akim Constituency, commercial activities virtually came to a halt as traders, drivers and a cross-section of the people abandoned their activities to converge on a park to listen to the message of the NDC presidential candidate.
Not satisfied with the 20 minutes spent at the rally, the supporters ran after Prof Mills’s convoy well beyond the outskirts of the town to listen to the flag bearer at other rallies.
Prof. Mills also addressed a mammoth rally at Boadua in the Akwatia Constituency where he introduced the party’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Baba Jamal, to the people and urged them to vote for him as well.
He assured the youth that the galamsey business would be streamlined if the NDC won the upcoming elections.
At Kade, thousands of supporters defied a heavy downpour and insisted that Prof. Mills address them in the rain.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
VOTE FOR DFP IS BEST LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS (SPREAD)
THE flag bearer of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Mr Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi, has said the best legacy Ghanaians could bequeath to future generations is to vote for the DFP to come to power.
That, he said, had become necessary, since both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which had administered the country two terms each had failed to improve the lot of the people.
He said the unfortunate situation was that both the NDC and the NPP had openly declared their intentions to take punitive measures against the other should either of them win the December 7 elections, a development which he said would be suicidal to the country.
The DFP flag bearer said this when he addressed members and supporters of the party at Odumase Krobo in the Eastern Region last Tuesday, during which he introduced Mr Abraham Teye Larkotey as the party’s parliamentary candidate for Lower Manya Krobo.
Mr Ansah-Antwi, who was on the first leg of a tour of the Eastern Region to introduce himself to the executives and members of the party and to thank them for electing him to lead the party to the polls, also called on the traditional authorities at the palace.
He was accompanied by his running mate, Mrs Patience Ameku; the Patron of the party, Dr Obed Yao Asamoah; the National Women Organiser, Hajia Hawau; the National Organiser, Mr Piesie Antoh; the National Education Officer, Alhaji Ismail Bawa, and the Eastern Regional Chairman, Mr Sarfo Kantanka.
Mr Ansah-Antwi asked the electorate to rally behind the DFP to enable it to implement human-centred policies such as subsidy on agricultural inputs, the establishment of agro-processing factories to add value to raw materials and a ready market for both raw materials and locally manufactured goods.
These policies, he said, would create jobs for the people to earn appreciable incomes for their livelihood.
He said although the DFP entered the political arena very late, it had made in-roads throughout the country and gave the assurance that traditional rulers would be roped into its administration, since they were the custodians of the land and knew what projects would be beneficial to the people.
For his part, Dr Asamoah said the DFP was against corruption, insulting political opponents, violence and intimidation and that the party would, within the few days left for the elections, continue with issue-based campaign to drum home its good intentions.
He said the party, which would create a conducive atmosphere for the youth, had also decided to encourage women to take an part in active politics to improve their lot.
Dr Asamoah, who condemned politicians who influenced voters with money or material things, asked Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be influenced by such gestures but to vote for the DFP, which he said was capable of providing the solutions for economic recovery that would enable the people to live decently.
Mr Piesie Antoh said the DFP would spring a surprise and called for peaceful elections, while Alhaji Bawa called on all members and supporters of the party to exercise restraint if provoked on the day of the elections.
Mrs Ameku and Hajia Hawau also addressed the gathering and canvassed for votes for the party.
That, he said, had become necessary, since both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which had administered the country two terms each had failed to improve the lot of the people.
He said the unfortunate situation was that both the NDC and the NPP had openly declared their intentions to take punitive measures against the other should either of them win the December 7 elections, a development which he said would be suicidal to the country.
The DFP flag bearer said this when he addressed members and supporters of the party at Odumase Krobo in the Eastern Region last Tuesday, during which he introduced Mr Abraham Teye Larkotey as the party’s parliamentary candidate for Lower Manya Krobo.
Mr Ansah-Antwi, who was on the first leg of a tour of the Eastern Region to introduce himself to the executives and members of the party and to thank them for electing him to lead the party to the polls, also called on the traditional authorities at the palace.
He was accompanied by his running mate, Mrs Patience Ameku; the Patron of the party, Dr Obed Yao Asamoah; the National Women Organiser, Hajia Hawau; the National Organiser, Mr Piesie Antoh; the National Education Officer, Alhaji Ismail Bawa, and the Eastern Regional Chairman, Mr Sarfo Kantanka.
Mr Ansah-Antwi asked the electorate to rally behind the DFP to enable it to implement human-centred policies such as subsidy on agricultural inputs, the establishment of agro-processing factories to add value to raw materials and a ready market for both raw materials and locally manufactured goods.
These policies, he said, would create jobs for the people to earn appreciable incomes for their livelihood.
He said although the DFP entered the political arena very late, it had made in-roads throughout the country and gave the assurance that traditional rulers would be roped into its administration, since they were the custodians of the land and knew what projects would be beneficial to the people.
For his part, Dr Asamoah said the DFP was against corruption, insulting political opponents, violence and intimidation and that the party would, within the few days left for the elections, continue with issue-based campaign to drum home its good intentions.
He said the party, which would create a conducive atmosphere for the youth, had also decided to encourage women to take an part in active politics to improve their lot.
Dr Asamoah, who condemned politicians who influenced voters with money or material things, asked Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be influenced by such gestures but to vote for the DFP, which he said was capable of providing the solutions for economic recovery that would enable the people to live decently.
Mr Piesie Antoh said the DFP would spring a surprise and called for peaceful elections, while Alhaji Bawa called on all members and supporters of the party to exercise restraint if provoked on the day of the elections.
Mrs Ameku and Hajia Hawau also addressed the gathering and canvassed for votes for the party.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
GH¢894,000 PROJECTS FOR 2 MANYA KROBO DISTRICTS (PAGE 25)
CONSTRUCTION work on five social amenities, made up of two modern lorry parks and three kindergarten (KG) school blocks, in the Lower and Upper Manya Krobo districts has begun.
The projects comprise the rehabilitation of the Asesewa lorry park in Upper Manya Krobo, the construction of a new lorry park at Kpong as well as three KG school buildings for the Akuse Roman Catholic, Nuaso Presbyterian and Manya Kpongunor Presbyterian primary schools.
KfW of Germany is providing 90 per cent of the GH¢894,000 being the cost of the projects while the two district assemblies are taking up the remaining 10 per cent of the counterpart funding.
The projects are expected to be completed within nine months.
Briefing journalists before the sod-cutting ceremony at Kpong on Wednesday, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Lower Manya Krobo, Mr David Sackitey Asare, said the lorry parks would be provided with all the necessary modern amenities such as transit sheds and loading pads.
He added that each of the KGs would have a three-unit classroom block, a store, six-seat KVIP public toilets and a urinal.
Mr Asare stated that the project, which formed part of the Town Five initiative for some selected districts, would go a long way to uplift the image of the two districts and also improve the life of the people.
The DCE expressed appreciation to KfW of Germany and the government for supporting the projects.
He expressed the hope that both consultants, Urban Development Consortium and the contracting firm, Koforidua-based Ghana Concrete Engineering Works Limited, would live up to expectation by completing the work on schedule.
The Technical Director of Ghana Concrete Engineering Works, Mr Kwabena Asante, gave the assurance that the company would do its best to complete the project within the stipulated period.
The projects comprise the rehabilitation of the Asesewa lorry park in Upper Manya Krobo, the construction of a new lorry park at Kpong as well as three KG school buildings for the Akuse Roman Catholic, Nuaso Presbyterian and Manya Kpongunor Presbyterian primary schools.
KfW of Germany is providing 90 per cent of the GH¢894,000 being the cost of the projects while the two district assemblies are taking up the remaining 10 per cent of the counterpart funding.
The projects are expected to be completed within nine months.
Briefing journalists before the sod-cutting ceremony at Kpong on Wednesday, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Lower Manya Krobo, Mr David Sackitey Asare, said the lorry parks would be provided with all the necessary modern amenities such as transit sheds and loading pads.
He added that each of the KGs would have a three-unit classroom block, a store, six-seat KVIP public toilets and a urinal.
Mr Asare stated that the project, which formed part of the Town Five initiative for some selected districts, would go a long way to uplift the image of the two districts and also improve the life of the people.
The DCE expressed appreciation to KfW of Germany and the government for supporting the projects.
He expressed the hope that both consultants, Urban Development Consortium and the contracting firm, Koforidua-based Ghana Concrete Engineering Works Limited, would live up to expectation by completing the work on schedule.
The Technical Director of Ghana Concrete Engineering Works, Mr Kwabena Asante, gave the assurance that the company would do its best to complete the project within the stipulated period.
Friday, November 21, 2008
EC LAUDS POLITICIANS IN EASTERN REGION (PAGE 16)
THE DEPUTY Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr David Kanga, has praised politicians in the Eastern Region, especially parliamentary candidates, for the able manner they conducted themselves in the previous general elections.
He said the co-operation and friendly relations among the parliamentary candidates from the 1996 elections had made such events incident-free in the region.
Mr Kanga gave the commendation during an interaction with parliamentary aspirants for the December 7 election in the Eastern Region in Koforidua on Tuesday.
The one-day event during which a mock voting exercise was conducted, brought together prospective MPs such as Samuel Ofosu Ampofo (NDC, Fanteakwa); Emmanuel Agyarko (NPP, Lower Manya Krobo); Bernice Beatrice Boateng (NPP, New Juaben South); Emmanuel Adu Boateng (New Juaben North); Hackman Owusu Agyeman (NPP, New Juaben North); Nana Obuade Boateng (PNC, New Juaben South) as well as many others from the contesting political parties all of whom expressed their sentiments on how to make the elections free and fair.
Mr Kanga stated that if all politicians, especially parliamentary candidates, would conduct themselves like those in the Eastern Region, this year’s elections would be peaceful.
He, therefore, appealed to all politicians to do their best to ensure peaceful elections on December 7.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Director of the EC, Mr Paul Boateng, said it was the collective responsibility of all stakeholders such as politicians, security personnel and the media to make the elections peaceful.
All the participants affirmed that they would do their best to make the elections peaceful and appealed to the EC and other stakeholders such as the security personnel and the media to be circumspect in their operations in that respect.
He said the co-operation and friendly relations among the parliamentary candidates from the 1996 elections had made such events incident-free in the region.
Mr Kanga gave the commendation during an interaction with parliamentary aspirants for the December 7 election in the Eastern Region in Koforidua on Tuesday.
The one-day event during which a mock voting exercise was conducted, brought together prospective MPs such as Samuel Ofosu Ampofo (NDC, Fanteakwa); Emmanuel Agyarko (NPP, Lower Manya Krobo); Bernice Beatrice Boateng (NPP, New Juaben South); Emmanuel Adu Boateng (New Juaben North); Hackman Owusu Agyeman (NPP, New Juaben North); Nana Obuade Boateng (PNC, New Juaben South) as well as many others from the contesting political parties all of whom expressed their sentiments on how to make the elections free and fair.
Mr Kanga stated that if all politicians, especially parliamentary candidates, would conduct themselves like those in the Eastern Region, this year’s elections would be peaceful.
He, therefore, appealed to all politicians to do their best to ensure peaceful elections on December 7.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Director of the EC, Mr Paul Boateng, said it was the collective responsibility of all stakeholders such as politicians, security personnel and the media to make the elections peaceful.
All the participants affirmed that they would do their best to make the elections peaceful and appealed to the EC and other stakeholders such as the security personnel and the media to be circumspect in their operations in that respect.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
KWAHU PRASO RURAL BANK GIVES OUT MORE LOANS (PAGE 20)
THE Kwahu Praso Rural Bank in the Eastern Region gave out GH¢204,822 as loans and advances to its customers last year as against GH¢162,200 in 2006, showing an increase of GH¢32,922.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Mr Eric Kwakye, made this known at the 13th annual general meeting of the bank at Kwahu Praso at the weekend.
Mr Kwakye stated that the bank had to increase its loan portfolio to boost the businesses of its customers as a measure of reducing poverty in its catchment areas.
He gave the breakdown of the credit facilities as agriculture: GH¢15,550, food marketing: GH¢25,430, general trading: GH¢52,082, transport: GH¢28,800, education: GH¢53,660 and others GH¢28,822.
To make it possible for the bank to grant more loans, Mr Kwakye appealed to all beneficiaries, especially defaulters, to repay their loans on time.
According to Mr Kwakye, the bank was able to give out more loans due to its credible performance in its overall operations.
He cited for instance that, last year the bank recorded pre-tax profit of GH¢35,237 as against GH¢12,556 in 2006, an increase of 180 per cent while its total deposits also rose from GH¢556,775 to GH¢714,490 within the same period.
The bank’s assets, Mr Kwakye stated, had for the past three years been recording growth, adding that in 2005, it recorded GH¢465,790 which increased to GH¢556,755 in 2006 and GH¢714,490 in 2007.
Mr Kwakye said the bank’s paid-up capital stood at GH¢12,092, which he stated was not encouraging.
He, therefore, appealed to shareholders to buy more shares to boost its capital.
Both Mr Twumasi Ankrah, the Head of Efficiency and Monitoring Unit of the ARB Apex Bank, who represented the Managing Director of the bank, and Mr Kwabena Acheampong, a representative of the Association of Rural Banks, commended the board, management and staff of the bank for their impressive performance.
They, however, urged the board to strengthen the bank’s internal control mechanisms to consolidate its gains.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Mr Eric Kwakye, made this known at the 13th annual general meeting of the bank at Kwahu Praso at the weekend.
Mr Kwakye stated that the bank had to increase its loan portfolio to boost the businesses of its customers as a measure of reducing poverty in its catchment areas.
He gave the breakdown of the credit facilities as agriculture: GH¢15,550, food marketing: GH¢25,430, general trading: GH¢52,082, transport: GH¢28,800, education: GH¢53,660 and others GH¢28,822.
To make it possible for the bank to grant more loans, Mr Kwakye appealed to all beneficiaries, especially defaulters, to repay their loans on time.
According to Mr Kwakye, the bank was able to give out more loans due to its credible performance in its overall operations.
He cited for instance that, last year the bank recorded pre-tax profit of GH¢35,237 as against GH¢12,556 in 2006, an increase of 180 per cent while its total deposits also rose from GH¢556,775 to GH¢714,490 within the same period.
The bank’s assets, Mr Kwakye stated, had for the past three years been recording growth, adding that in 2005, it recorded GH¢465,790 which increased to GH¢556,755 in 2006 and GH¢714,490 in 2007.
Mr Kwakye said the bank’s paid-up capital stood at GH¢12,092, which he stated was not encouraging.
He, therefore, appealed to shareholders to buy more shares to boost its capital.
Both Mr Twumasi Ankrah, the Head of Efficiency and Monitoring Unit of the ARB Apex Bank, who represented the Managing Director of the bank, and Mr Kwabena Acheampong, a representative of the Association of Rural Banks, commended the board, management and staff of the bank for their impressive performance.
They, however, urged the board to strengthen the bank’s internal control mechanisms to consolidate its gains.
ASSOCIATION ASSISTS RURAL PEOPLE (PAGE 20)
THE Krobo-Danish Association (KROBODAN) at the weekend launched a number of initiatives to improve the lot of people in the rural communities of Yilo Krobo, Upper Manya Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region.
The initiatives are a savings and credit scheme for farmers in Yilo Krobo who have no land of their own, training of single mothers in bead-making and free eye screening.
Under the savings and credit scheme, the beneficiaries would be provided with funds to go into poultry keeping, animal husbandry, snail and grass-cutter rearing and piggery.
The facility which would be made available for 300 rural dwellers, would cover the period from 2008 to 2011.
With regard to the training of single mothers for bead-making, the association in collaboration with Bulow Glass, a glass-blowing company in Denmark, would train 60 beneficiaries after which they would be assisted to produce quality beads for the Scandinavian market.
Under the free eye-screening exercise, KROBODAN with support from Synoptik of Denmark, the Koforidua Regional Hospital and the education directorates in the three Krobo districts, namely Yilo, Upper Manya and Lower Manya, conducted an exercise for the general public at Nkurakan, a foodstuff marketing centre in the area.
During the exercise, hundreds of people had their eyes examined and those with defects were given spectacles free of charge.
According to an executive member of the association, Mr N. Joshua Nartey, his outfit which was committed to the improvement of life in rural communities, would continue with such initiatives to enable rural dwellers to lead decent lives.
The initiatives are a savings and credit scheme for farmers in Yilo Krobo who have no land of their own, training of single mothers in bead-making and free eye screening.
Under the savings and credit scheme, the beneficiaries would be provided with funds to go into poultry keeping, animal husbandry, snail and grass-cutter rearing and piggery.
The facility which would be made available for 300 rural dwellers, would cover the period from 2008 to 2011.
With regard to the training of single mothers for bead-making, the association in collaboration with Bulow Glass, a glass-blowing company in Denmark, would train 60 beneficiaries after which they would be assisted to produce quality beads for the Scandinavian market.
Under the free eye-screening exercise, KROBODAN with support from Synoptik of Denmark, the Koforidua Regional Hospital and the education directorates in the three Krobo districts, namely Yilo, Upper Manya and Lower Manya, conducted an exercise for the general public at Nkurakan, a foodstuff marketing centre in the area.
During the exercise, hundreds of people had their eyes examined and those with defects were given spectacles free of charge.
According to an executive member of the association, Mr N. Joshua Nartey, his outfit which was committed to the improvement of life in rural communities, would continue with such initiatives to enable rural dwellers to lead decent lives.
BORMASE WHENYA, THE FORGOTTEN COMMUNITY IN UPPER MANYA (PAGE 20)
LYING on the Akatawia-Sekesua road about 40 kilometres from Asesewa is Bormase Whenya, a scattered community.
The community, together with other adjoining settlements such as Korlewa, Bukunya, Bormase Tenya and Buku Yiti, constitutes one of the populous settlements in the Upper Manya Krobo District with a total population of approximately 3,000.
The people, most of whom have their houses situated on their farmlands, cultivate foodstuffs such as maize, plantain, cocoyam, cassava and almost all the varieties of yam.
They also rear animals such as goats, sheep and fowls primarily for their own consumption and for the market.
The hard-working farmers, who under normal circumstances, should have been able to cultivate such crops on a large scale or keep flocks of such animals, produce very little with very low earnings that can hardly cater for their upkeep due to lack of capital for expansion of such ventures.
Worst of all, the community lacks almost all the basic necessities of life such as good drinking water, clinic or electricity although the power transmission lines pass through the community while the only access road that links it with other parts of the district, the Sekesua-Akatawia road, is full of potholes, making it a death trap.
The only social amenity in the community, the District Assembly (D/A) Primary School which was constructed about half a century ago, is itself a dilapidated structure with some of the walls built with mud, periodically falling off, especially during the rainy season, making it impossible for classes to be conducted during the wet season because the classrooms get flooded.
The most pathetic situation is that the building that used to house the kindergarten, recently collapsed. As a result, the infants study under canopies made with palm leaves.
To compound the situation, the entire infant/pupil population of the school of 140 in seven classrooms depends on only 20 dual desks for classes so the pupils use the desks in turns.
Despite such a horrible spectacle, the pupils have over the years, performed well academically and most of them normally get admission to junior high schools at nearby Sekesua, Asesewa or Odumase Krobo.
In view of the pupils’ outstanding performance, the school won the admiration of both the Manya District Directorate of Education and the district assembly, and was therefore selected to be transformed into a model school (Jubilee School) in 2007 with the provision of modern classrooms, teachers’ bungalows and other amenities.
As expected, the motivation brought relief to the community whose inhabitants readily made available a prepared plot of land for construction to begin on the project.
However, after nearly eight months when nothing had started, some of the inhabitants claimed that a radio station had announced that the project had commenced in earnest so they believed the project had been shifted elsewhere.
“The plan for the project was shown to us on February 2, 2007 by Messrs David Sackitey Asare and Joe Sam, the District Chief Executives for Lower Manya Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo, respectively and the Deputy District Director of Education, Mr D.O. Tetteh, after which we heard from one of the radio stations that constructional work had started which is not true,” the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman, Mr I.T. Quarshie stated.
The school’s Management Committee Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Osom Djeagbo, corroborated Mr Quarshie’s story and said he together with the community’s headman (Dadematse), Mr David Akwetey and the queen, Manye Mamle, followed up to the assembly on many occasions without any positive result, and wondered whether the project would be executed at all.
Both Messrs Sackitey Asare and Joe Sam admitted that the school had been selected to be transformed into a model school in the district, stressing that the project would under no circumstances be diverted to another community.
According to Mr Asare, since the project would involve a lot of money, it would take a little more time to begin, adding that all things being equal, the project would start in March, next year.
Mr Joe Sam, however, indicated that in the interim, a structure would be provided for the kindergarten class within the next two weeks to enable the kids to attend normal classes.
“We are concerned about the plight of the kids and pupils so the assembly will do its best to transform the school to a model one with furniture and all the required facilities that go with it,” Mr Sam stated.
Although the two district assemblies are taking steps to transform the school, it will not be out of place if non-governmental organisations such as Plan Ghana, which had already provided many school buildings in the area go to the rescue on time.
This is necessary because the longer the delay, the more the pupils and kids suffer.
Should that happen, it would have negative impacts on the development of the community whose inhabitants also need micro finance to boost their farming ventures so as to lead decent lives.
The community, together with other adjoining settlements such as Korlewa, Bukunya, Bormase Tenya and Buku Yiti, constitutes one of the populous settlements in the Upper Manya Krobo District with a total population of approximately 3,000.
The people, most of whom have their houses situated on their farmlands, cultivate foodstuffs such as maize, plantain, cocoyam, cassava and almost all the varieties of yam.
They also rear animals such as goats, sheep and fowls primarily for their own consumption and for the market.
The hard-working farmers, who under normal circumstances, should have been able to cultivate such crops on a large scale or keep flocks of such animals, produce very little with very low earnings that can hardly cater for their upkeep due to lack of capital for expansion of such ventures.
Worst of all, the community lacks almost all the basic necessities of life such as good drinking water, clinic or electricity although the power transmission lines pass through the community while the only access road that links it with other parts of the district, the Sekesua-Akatawia road, is full of potholes, making it a death trap.
The only social amenity in the community, the District Assembly (D/A) Primary School which was constructed about half a century ago, is itself a dilapidated structure with some of the walls built with mud, periodically falling off, especially during the rainy season, making it impossible for classes to be conducted during the wet season because the classrooms get flooded.
The most pathetic situation is that the building that used to house the kindergarten, recently collapsed. As a result, the infants study under canopies made with palm leaves.
To compound the situation, the entire infant/pupil population of the school of 140 in seven classrooms depends on only 20 dual desks for classes so the pupils use the desks in turns.
Despite such a horrible spectacle, the pupils have over the years, performed well academically and most of them normally get admission to junior high schools at nearby Sekesua, Asesewa or Odumase Krobo.
In view of the pupils’ outstanding performance, the school won the admiration of both the Manya District Directorate of Education and the district assembly, and was therefore selected to be transformed into a model school (Jubilee School) in 2007 with the provision of modern classrooms, teachers’ bungalows and other amenities.
As expected, the motivation brought relief to the community whose inhabitants readily made available a prepared plot of land for construction to begin on the project.
However, after nearly eight months when nothing had started, some of the inhabitants claimed that a radio station had announced that the project had commenced in earnest so they believed the project had been shifted elsewhere.
“The plan for the project was shown to us on February 2, 2007 by Messrs David Sackitey Asare and Joe Sam, the District Chief Executives for Lower Manya Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo, respectively and the Deputy District Director of Education, Mr D.O. Tetteh, after which we heard from one of the radio stations that constructional work had started which is not true,” the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman, Mr I.T. Quarshie stated.
The school’s Management Committee Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Osom Djeagbo, corroborated Mr Quarshie’s story and said he together with the community’s headman (Dadematse), Mr David Akwetey and the queen, Manye Mamle, followed up to the assembly on many occasions without any positive result, and wondered whether the project would be executed at all.
Both Messrs Sackitey Asare and Joe Sam admitted that the school had been selected to be transformed into a model school in the district, stressing that the project would under no circumstances be diverted to another community.
According to Mr Asare, since the project would involve a lot of money, it would take a little more time to begin, adding that all things being equal, the project would start in March, next year.
Mr Joe Sam, however, indicated that in the interim, a structure would be provided for the kindergarten class within the next two weeks to enable the kids to attend normal classes.
“We are concerned about the plight of the kids and pupils so the assembly will do its best to transform the school to a model one with furniture and all the required facilities that go with it,” Mr Sam stated.
Although the two district assemblies are taking steps to transform the school, it will not be out of place if non-governmental organisations such as Plan Ghana, which had already provided many school buildings in the area go to the rescue on time.
This is necessary because the longer the delay, the more the pupils and kids suffer.
Should that happen, it would have negative impacts on the development of the community whose inhabitants also need micro finance to boost their farming ventures so as to lead decent lives.
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