Cape Coast — THE HEADTEACHER of Philip Quaque Boys School in Cape Coast, Mr. Richard Atta Mensah, has commended MELCOM Group of Companies for renovating the school.

Speaking to The Chronicle on Monday at the school premises, he said MELCOM has exhibited its social responsibility by spending millions of cedis in restoring the first elementary school in Ghana to a befitting status.

He deflated claims by media reports that the school was renovated by the Ghana@50 Secretariat, emphasising that "Ghana@50 Secretariat did not play any role in the rehabilitation of the school. The whole rehabilitation works was done by MELCOM, which brought its own contractor from Accra," he told The Chronicle.

Mr. Mensah therefore appealed to MELCOM to complete minor works on the school.

MELCOM Chairman, Mr. Khubchandani, showed interest in restoring the school when The Chronicle published in its June 3, 2005 edition that the Philip Quaque Boys School was in ruins following the collapse of corroded iron pillars as well as the roofing and ceiling of the school after long neglect by Ministry of Education, Municipal Assembly, Anglican Education unit and indigenes of Cape Coast.

The MELCOM Boss visited the school with the late Muniru Arafat Nuhu, former Cape Coast Municipal Chief Executive, and promised to renovate the school.

Nana Kofi Coomson, The CEO of The Chronicle, took a personal interest in the restoration of the school as he urged this reporter to monitor the progress of work on the school.

The school, established in 1765, was built by the Anglican Mission and the school served as the military base for British West Africa Soldiers during colonial period.

The school has produced prominent people for Ghana including the current Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes, Dr. Sam Jonah, former President of AngloGold Ashanti and a host of others.