Chuchuliga (U/E), Feb 19, GNA - A community vocational school was at the week end inaugurated at Chuchuliga to train young people in various vocational skills. The school, named St. Agnes Vocational, is designed to admit 60 students annually and has registered 36 of them so far to be trained in dress making, hair dressing, soap making and the use of the computer. Mrs. Agnes Chigabatia, Deputy Regional Minister and Member of Parliament for Builsa North, said she initiated the project with part of her Common Fund and training would start at a rented premise while the permanent school building was being put up. She said she planned to put such schools in four other communities in her constituency in an effort to help stop the rural-urban migration of young girls who end up being porters in the cities and victims of social vices. "A drive around the commercial centres of Accra and Kumasi in the early hours of the day shows young boys and girls sleeping on verandas of shops. The girls especially are exposed to all forms of abuse, of which rape is the most common. It is about time we took proactive steps to curb this menace, and I am doing my part", she said.
The school project, she said was being undertaken by her NGO, 'Lack Sueg Foundation,' works to reduce poverty and ignorance in the communities. It also supports farmers with credit facilities and plans to train young prospective farmers in appropriate farming technology. It would also give support to people living with HIV/AIDS, the aged, needy children and vulnerable women, she said. Mrs Chigabatia presented three wheel chairs to three physically challenged persons, sports wear and footballs to schools and three local football clubs, and had musical instruments, sewing machines, hair dryers and 10 computers for the new school.
She also erected 10 sheds to serve as workshops for the students and said she planned to do same for, Sandema, Wiaga, Kadema and Sinesi. Mrs. Chigabatia appealed to NGOs, corporate bodies, individuals and the government to assist the school with more computers. Mr. Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister, frequent threats to peace in the Builsa District was of much concern to the government and asked the people not to put personal ambition ahead of the interest of the entire district.
He said plans were underway to source funds for reconstruction of houses that were destroyed by the floods. Mr. Samari advised the people, who were hardest hit by the floods, to seek help from the Rural Bank under its Micro Finance Schemes to be able to continue with their business. He commended Mrs. Chigabatia for her efforts and urged young people to avail themselves for training in the new school.
