Gov't begins expansion works on Charlotte Dolphyne vocational training institute in Ellembelle

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Ellembelle in the Western Region, Hon. Kwasi Bonzoh on behalf of the Ministry of Education, has cut sod for the expansion and retooling of Charlotte Dolphyne vocational training institute at Sanzule.

The one million-dollar project at Sanzule forms part of Akufo-Addo-led government's commitment to upgrade all the thirty-five (35) Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Ghana.

The facility, which is being executed by the Makelby International Ltd will comprise a state-of-the-art administration block, two classroom-two-storey building, three classroom-two-storey building, three workshops, 200 capacity two storey dormitory/hostel for boys, 200 capacity storey dormitory for girls, rehabilitation of block laying concreting platform, rehabilitation of a catering block, and equipping all trades with modern tools and equipment.

Speaking at the ground-breaking colourful ceremony at the forecourt of the school, the District Chief Executive (DCE) Hon. Kwasi Bonzoh welcomed the school authority, students, residents and other dignitaries to withnes the commencement of the project to give a facelift to the school and promote vocational education in the District.

"We are here to cut sod and to witness the commencement of this huge infrastructural development that would upgrade and address all facet of infrastructural needs of the schools to promote and improve vocational education in the District", he said.

He noted that the school lacks infrastructural development and therefore commended the government for listening to their appeal to upgrading the school.

He said apart from the aforementioned facilities being constructed, the government would also provide a 33-seater bus to the school and train the teachers to meet the current trends of TVET.

He also said the government would introduce oil and gas courses in the school to provide skills to the students to benefit from the oil and gas industry.

The DCE praised the management of the school for their key role played to ensure that the government provides the school with infrastructural development.

"Nana Chairman, let me use this singular opportunity to commend Management of the Institute for the key role played to articulate their concerns and to pursue to ensure that this massive infrastructure development come to fruition", he acknowledged.

He also commended the Chief of the area and his people for providing the government with land for the project to be executed.

"Let me also thank Nanamo in the first place for making the land available to ensure the expansion and improvement of the school infrastructure".

"Nana Chairman, the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo considered education as one of his topmost priority and it is for the following reasons that the president has made that decision", he stated.

The DCE said apart from the introduction and implementation of the Free SHS, the government would soon make the TVET free of charge.

He, therefore, seized the opportunity to appeal to the contractors to complete the project on time.

According to him, the facility begins immediately and is expected to be completed in eight (8) months.

"Let me finally use the opportunity to appeal to the contractors to endeavor to fast-track the construction process to ensure that the projects are completed as scheduled for students to have access to the facilities to improve teaching and learning. Nana Chairman, let me on this note thanked everybody gathered here to witness this ground breaking sod cutting ceremony and wish you God’s traveling mercies to your various destinations, he concluded.

On his part, the Manager of the institute, Mr. Philimon Osei Sarfo, thanked the government for the project and said when completed would increase the current the population from 502 to 1,500 by the year 2024.

"... Coming into being of this project we are hopeful the school population will increase from the current 502 to 1,500 by the year 2024".

He, therefore seized the opportunity give a brief history of the institute to the gathering to know how far they have reached.

According to him, the institute was established in the year 2003 by the chiefs and people of Sanzule with a population of 23 students.

He paid tribute to two residents of the community who fought hard for the establishment of the institute.

He disclosed that one late Kofi Dolphyne donated tools and equipment to the start of the institute and by paying all salaries for the then Manager of the institute until the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) absorbed the institute.

By recognizing his efforts, he said the Chief and his elders then decided to name the institute after his late sister Madam Charlotte Dolphyne.

"Permit me to give a short background of this school. The school was established in 2003 by the chiefs and people of Sanzule with a population of 23 students. Those who played an instrumental role were Nana Asarfo Adjei II, Chief of Sanzule and the late Kofi Dolphyne, the citizen of the town who donated several tools and equipment for training and even undertook to pay the salaries of the Manager until the institute was absorbed by the National Vocational Training Institute", he said.

"As a recognition to his contribution, the chiefs and his elders decided to name the institute after Mr. Kofi Dolphyne's late sister Madam Charlotte Dolphyne", he added.

He stated that the institute was focusing on lower and middle manpower training to equip the youth with employable skills through Information and Communication Technology (ICT), welding and fabrication, general electrical, block laying and concreting, dress-making and catering as programmes being offered.

He said, "The institute has turned out over 1,200 trainees who have been employed in spheres of the economy".

He concluded by hailing the Ellembelle District Chief Executive for working so hard for the institute to benefit from this one million-dollar project.

The Ellembelle District Director of Education, Mr. Peter Ackah Blay expressed his profound gratitude to President Akufo-Addo for providing the institute with this infrastructural project.

"let me commend His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo providing this Infrastructural project to Sanzule and Nzema as a whole".

"We thank the chiefs for providing land and we thank specifically those who put their heads together to initiate this institution", he added.

He said it was Government commitment to provide the needed infrastructure to TVET and said he believes nobody would be left out.

"...Now this is a commitment of government and I believe that nobody is going to left out when it comes to education. As I sat somewhere last year to observe a sod-cutting ceremony like this at Nkroful Agriculture Senior High School providing accommodation to grammar-school type today we are observing another sod-cutting for infrastructure for TVET, I am extremely happy", he acknowledged.

He, therefore, emphasized that, "If Ghana wants to go beyond aid then we need to produce and sell and if we are going to produce and sell then we need to train the hands that are going to do the production, that in my view that is why Charlotte Dolphyne vocational training institute exist".

"We are going to hand over this project to the teeming youth who are inching to get trained so that they can get employed in the industries that are coming to the Nzemaland", he said.

"We will continue to pray to Almighty God to grant those who are going to work on this project wisdom to carry out the project. My plead will go to the project executioners to do everything possible to finish the project on time so that the children can can use them", he noted.

He, therefore took the opportunity to appeal to the community to liaise with the contractors executing the project to achieve their target.

The Paramount Chief of Eastern Nzema Traditional Council, Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III commended the second chief of the area, Nana Asarfo Adjei II who provided land for the establishment of the institute.

He called on the government and management of the institute to name one of yet-to-be completed facilities after Nana Asarfo Adjei II.

He cautioned the residents of the community not to steal the materials and equipment of the contractors but to support them to complete the project on schedule.

He also pledged his commitment to monitor the project to be completed.

The Paramount Chief who has education at heart, advised the students to learn hard to become useful citizens in the country.

He continued by urging them to avoid immoral behaviours that would prevent them from achieving their aims.

"From time to time I and my elders will visit you at your dormitories and see to it that you are learning hard. Know that it is because of you that the DCE and his people are working tirelessly to put these facilities here for you so don't joke with your education", he concluded.

The contractor seized the colourful ceremony to pledge to complete and hand over the project to the school before Christmas 2020 (within eight months).

Moreover, the students became happy and expressed their profound appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for the project and shouted that they couldn't wait for the Free TVET implementation which was hinted to them that his government was going to make all Vocational Training Institute in Ghana free of charge.

Present at the colourful event were the Ellembelle District Coordinating Director, The Head Pastor of Eikwe District The Church of Pentecost, some staff of the Assembly, the security services, the chiefs and queen mothers, Assembly Members, NPP Executives, the media among others.