Government alone cannot develop communities -DCE

Mr Charles Yeboah, Atwima District Chief Executive, has reminded Ghanaians that independence from colonial rule carried with it a responsibility entailing hard work and sacrifice in order to build the nation.

He said this means that government must not be seen as the sole agent of development but that the citizens must cultivate the spirit of self-help to move the nation forward.

Mr Yeboah was addressing a parade of school children and students drawn from basic and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) at the 46th Independence anniversary celebration at Abuakwa in the Atwima District.

The DCE said in an attempt to raise the standard of education in the district the assembly had provided building materials for the rehabilitation of some schools and the construction of quarters for headteachers.

In addition, he said, the assembly last year offered scholarships to 150 student teacher trainees at the cost of 50 million cedis and that these teachers were expected to teach in the district after completing their training.

This year, Mr Yeboah said, the assembly had allocated 60 million cedis towards expanding the scheme.

He said in order to get junior secondary school graduates who failed to gain admission into senior secondary schools did not become street children, the assembly was supporting the Nerebehi Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills (ICCES) and that of Otaakrom to absorb these students to acquire employable skills.

The celebration coincided with the district's teachers' awards day and Mr Eddie Obeng-Darko, the Atwima District Director of Education commended the district assembly for sponsoring the programme.

Miss Esther Donkor of Asuofua-Asamang Local Authority Primary School won the overall best teacher award and was given a double-deck refrigerator.

Other award winners received gas cookers, sound system, sewing machines and gas cylinders.