Nana Odoom
25 August 2008
Ahwerewu — The rehabilitation of five schools, in the Sekyere East and Sekyere Afram Plains districts, out of the 23 beneficiary districts of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) programme, has been formalized with a sod-cutting ceremony at Ahwerewa, in the Sekyere East District.
The beneficiary schools of the rehabilitation works include Aiyinofi SDA Kindergarten and Primary School, Kumawu Presby School and Aninagya Methodist Primary School in the Sekyere Afram Plains District, and Seniagya Methodist Junior High School (JHS) and Ahwerewa L/A Primary in the Sekyere East District.
The selected schools, all in poor shape and badly in need of rehabilitation, are part of 65 old schools being rehabilitated, in Phase 1 of the Educational Infrastructural Rehabilitation Programme of the MCA, being funded by the US government, with an amount of $547 million.
The rehabilitation is intended to uplift the schools, to enable children in these farming communities, participate meaningfully in the Educational Reform Programmes.
The ceremony marked the implementation of the Community Services Activity, of the Rural Development Project component, of the MCA Ghana programme.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Mr. Martin Esson-Benjamin, said since the programme aimed at reducing rural poverty through agricultural transformation, improved school infrastructure for wards of farmers would contribute to the success of agriculture.
He announced that schools being rehabilitated in Phase 1 of the programme, would also benefit from additional support in Phase II of the School Improvement Project of the MCA programme, which is due to begin early next year.
He said the beneficiary schools are also expected to be supplied with good quality furniture.
Under Phase II, funds will be used to construct and furnish entirely new schools, for facilities like classrooms, teachers' quarters and ancillary facilities.
He said the programme also considered good roads, good schools, electricity, water, sanitation facilities, irrigation, and post harvest facilities.
Mr. Eson-Benjamin gave the assurance that MiDA was ready to assist farmers, improve upon their productivity, from collaboration with farmer-based organizations (FBOs) in the district.
He urged nananom, assembly members, teachers and the people, to show greater interest in the maintenance of the school buildings, compounds and furniture, noting that the success of the programme would depend on interest, vigilance and support by the entire beneficiary communities.
The MiDA CEO mentioned Messrs. John Serbe Marfo (Architect) and Andrew Kofi Kuundaari (Quantity Surveyor), as consultants engaged by MiDA to provide supervising services for efficient work by the contractor, with support by the District Assembly's technical team.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. Samuel Konadu, said 30 farmer-based organizations, with a total membership of 1,500 farmers, have been formed in the district under Phase 1.
He said another batch of 45 FBOs of 2,250 farmers, are currently being sensitized for training under Phase II, and that about 5,000 farmers are expected to benefit from the programme, by the end of the year.
Mr. Konadu used the occasion to express appreciation to President Kufuor, and the NPP government, for the initiative and the inclusion of the selected schools in the pilot programme.
DCE Konadu pledged the total commitment and support, of the two District Assemblies in the implementation of the programme, for the realization of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy II.
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