ASHMA is not closing down government school- MCE

The Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) has denied social media reports that it wants to close down the Ashaiman Government School which is located in the heart of the town.

Mr Albert Boakye Otchere, Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, denying the allegations said, “It is not within my strength to close down a government school”. Mr Otchere explained that the Assembly was rather considering relocating the school from its current location at the market to the Jericho Police station area which had been earmarked for school construction.

He noted that the issue of relocating the school was still under discussion as the issue was raised at the Assembly’s general meeting adding that all stakeholders including the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ashaiman Divisional Council, the media would be duly consulted before its implementation.

He added that discussions for the relocation of the school were triggered from several calls the Assembly received from teachers and officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES) over the unconducive teaching and learning environment at the premises.

“Noise level does not allow good learning and teaching, and also other activities that go on in and around the school when it is in session. I am told that at times you will see people clearly smoking Indian hemp when children are on the compound and I don’t think it is a good thing to teach our children”.

He further indicated that it was even reported that at times in the mornings, they report to school to see faeces on the compound as some residents defecate there at the night.

The MCE stated that he believed the wisdom behind the siting of the school at its current location had outlived its purpose due to the expansion of the Municipality, since those times the town was just around the school.

Mr Otchere said it was ASHMA’s vision to create a very congenial atmosphere for learning in all schools within the Municipality therefore the need to relocate the Ashiaman Government School in future.

He explained that his outfit wanted to infuse the cost of building a new school into projects to be constructed on lands in the Jericho police station area as the Assembly does not have the required amount for the construction of the school.

He said this will ensured that any investor or entity who want to take up any of the projects earmarked for the area would be tasked to put up a modern school for the relocation.

The MCE disclosed that the Assembly wanted to create a commercial enclave at the current location of the school “and the school cannot have a position if of course the kind of enclave we want to create come into fruition”

The Assembly, he stated, was looking at developing a China type of mall with basement parking at the place, where cars would be expected to park and pay to help decongest the roads.

He announced that the Assembly was studying proposals from three Chinese companies who had expressed interest in putting up the said mall, he however added that they were looking for the design of an Africanized Chinese mall.