Traditional authorities urged to create educational trust funds to support students

Barimah Okatta Amoa I, the Chief of Yakoko in the Eastern Region, has called on chiefs and queens to coordinate to create educational trust funds to support students in their communities.

He said the funds would help provide scholarships to students who would gain admission to tertiary institutions to alleviate the burden on parents.

The Chief made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency during the launch of his Educational Foundation to provide scholarships to five students for the first five years.

He said apart from the establishment of the foundation he had donated 20 dwarf desks to the Yakoko D/A School and sponsored the re-gravelling of the seven-kilometre road from the town to the main Accra-Kumasi Road.

The Barimah Okatta Amoa (BOA) Educational Foundation was launched during the Odwira Festival of the chiefs and people of Yakoko in the Ayensuano District, by Etuosrebour Safo Kankam, Mawerehene of Adoagyiri, near Nsawam.

He urged parents and guardians to provide the educational needs of their children to promote teaching and learning and to benefit from the Educational Foundation.

He advised school children in the area to take their studies seriously and avoid drugs, alcoholism and other vices, which would ruin their future.

“Education is the foundation of economic growth and, as such, we need more scholars to help develop our communities and the nation as whole,” he stated.

Madam Joyce Akua Afriyie, Ghana’s Ambassador to China, who chaired the programme, donated 5,000 Ghana cedis as her personal contribution to the Foundation and commended the chief for the initiative.

She called on other chiefs and queens to emulate the example.