Chiefs, people of Awutu and Ga revive their relationship

Awutu Beraku (C/R), Sept. 7, GNA - The people of Awutu and Ga on Monday renewed their brotherly relationship when the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah III led a group of chiefs and Asafo companies from his traditional area to join in the Annual Awubia festival of the chiefs and people of the Awutu traditional area at Awutu Beraku. Addressing a well-attended durbar, King Tackie Tawiah III said the ancestors of the Ga and the Awutu according to history emigrated from Israel through Nigeria many years ago to settle at their present homes. He said the participation of the chiefs and people of Ga in the festival was to foster unity and also to revive their brotherliness. The chief urged citizens of the two traditional areas to consider themselves as brothers and sisters and cooperate towards the development of the two areas.

The District Chief Executive of Awutu-Effutu-Senya, Mr Solomon Abbam-Quaye said government was still considering a proposal for the creation of a separate district for the area. He urged parents to investment in their children's education since it was the key to development.

In an addressed read for him, Abokuade Agyemang Wyettey Otabil III, Omanhen of the area, appealed to the government to rehabilitate the Awutu Beraku-Bontrase-Awutu Obrachire road and the one from the town to Senya Beraku to facilitate essay movement of the goods and passengers. He said the poor nature of the road had forced most vehicles to stop plying the area thus creating transportation problems. Earlier the chief visited a Royal Mausoleum of their late ancestors where a libation was poured to invoke their spirit for peaceful celebration and longer lives for the people. ´

Obuasi municipality disburses capitation grant

Obuasi, Sept. 7, GNA - More than 1.5 billion cedis has so far been disbursed to 28,904 pupils in public basic schools as capitation grant in the Obuasi municipality.

Mrs Beatrice Boakye-Ansah Prempeh, Municipal Director of Education, who announced this at a meeting of the Municipal Education Oversight Committee (MEOC), at Obuasi said over 800 million cedis, was disbursed to 26,712 pupils in the 2005/2006 academic year.

She said the first two tranches received for disbursement in the just-ended academic year amounted to 733.7 million cedis and a total of 28,904 pupils benefited.

The Municipal Director pointed out that the implementation of the capitation grant had contributed to the increase in enrolment levels in the schools, adding that "before the intervention, 15,650 pupils were in the primary schools but this figure had increased to 16,048".

Mrs Prempeh said there had been improvement in the use of teaching and learning materials in the schools as well as the organization of school-based in-service training programmes.

In addition, she said the grant had helped school authorities to undertake minor repairs of school facilities including broken doors, windows and chairs as well as other minor repairs to school infrastructure.

Mrs Prempeh added that there had also been improvement in the sanitary conditions of schools with School Management Committees (SMCs) and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) now more involved in school activities.

She commended the government for the introduction of the capitation grant and urged stakeholders to monitor the use of the grants in their schools.

Mr Joseph Kwadwo Boampong, Municipal Chief Executive and Chairman of the MEOC, appealed to the members to understand what the capitation grant stood for so that they could explain government's intentions to the public. 07 Sept. 07