West African Gas Pipeline hands over projects to schools

Takoradi, June 9, GNA - Ms Emelia Arthur, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Shama at the weekend said education was not just about the impartation of knowledge as it involves shaping of character of the people and discipline to promote the well being of the individual. "Discipline is one of the important key elements to make a person excel in life and with education the socio-economic development of the country will be achieved," she added. Ms Arthur said this during the handing over of three projects constructed by the West African Gas Pipeline to schools in the Shama District.

The projects were a six unit classroom block for the Methodist Primary School at Dwomo which cost 79,000 Ghana cedis, tables and chairs estimated at 3,700 Ghana cedis for Shama Model School and a toilet facility with water tank and a well estimated at 2,000 Ghana cedis for the Lower Inchaban Community. Ms Arthur said that education had been one of the major problems in the community and expressed the hope that with the establishment of the Dwomo Methodist School, educational standards would improve. "Education is one of the key areas that the assembly is focusing on and it is committed to supporting schools to enhance the academic performance of students," she said.

Ms Arthur called on communities to pay attention to sanitation to prevent the outbreak of diseases and promote their health. She spoke against the lack of maintenance culture among the people and urged the authorities and school children of the beneficiary schools and the Lower Inchaban Community to maintain the projects. Mrs Harriet Wireko-Brobbey, General Manager in-charge of Corporate Affairs of the West African Gas Pipeline said the company was committed to promoting development in the communities in which it operated. "It is part of our overall strategy to contribute to the development of these communities so as to maintain and sustain good relations," she said.

Mrs Wereko-Brobbey said that the company had completed five projects in the Western Region and two projects in the Greater Accra Region.

She said since the launch of the company's development projects in 2006, it had invested about $800,000 in health, education, income generation, water and sanitation.

"The company does not intend to replace government in the provision of amenities and infrastructure," she said adding, "however we are committed to making a modest contribution to the wellbeing of the communities in our areas of operation". Mrs Florence Inkoom, Deputy Director of Education for Shama District, expressed gratitude to the company for their immense contribution to the community and the nation at large and promised that their contribution would go a long way to shape the academic performance of the pupil in the community. Mr Noble King Dogbatsey, Headteacher of Dwomo Methodist School, said the company had been the saviour of the school since they started operating in the area. "We thank you for the facilities that you have been providing for us," he said adding, "We are appealing to you for a toilet facility for the school". He also appealed to the DCE to provide furniture for the school to ease congestion and also suggested to the assembly to contact Zoomlion Ghana Limited for dustbins for the school to improve sanitation. 0