Ellembelle MP launches Ellembelle School Bus Initiative, provides two buses for basic schools

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle Constituency in the Western Region, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has launched an educational program called the Ellembelle School Bus Initiative for pupils in the rural communities of the constituency.

The beneficiary communities for phase one are Obayeboe, Nyamebekyere, Fiasolo, Sendu, Kanokware, New Sanfo, Old Sanfo, Atababo, and Onsonyameye.

The program aims to alleviate the transportation burden for public elementary school pupils, ensuring they have a reliable and safe means of travel to school.

The Ellembelle School Bus Initiative promises not only to enhance the safety and security of the pupils but also to serve as a source of motivation for other children who have yet to attend school.

By removing one of the key barriers to education, the initiative will help boost school attendance and punctuality, contributing to better academic performance and overall pupil well-being.

Additionally, the initiative underscores Armah-Kofi Buah's commitment to fulfilling his promises and improving the lives of the people in those communities.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the initiative at Kanokware School Park on Saturday, June 8, 2024, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah disclosed that the initiative was a pledge he made to the good people of Ellembelle some years ago.

"When I was coming to be Ellembelle MP, I promised to initiate the Ellembelle Mobile Clinic to provide free healthcare to people in rural communities, and I did that. In my second term, I promised to establish the Ellembelle Elderly Care Center, and I have done it, and it's still working. In my third term, I promised to establish the Ellembelle Food Bank, and I have done it, and it's working. I also promised to buy buses for pupils in rural communities who walk long distances to school, and today I'm launching it," he stated.

"Today's program is phase one, and the buses are two, and they cost me GHC500,000. These buses will take pupils from outside Nyamebekyere School and Kanokware School in and out free of charge. This will help pupils be in school on time."

"I have done this because I grew up and attended school at Nyamebekyere, and I experienced how children in these areas suffer before attending classes. When I became MP, I always saw children here walking long distances to school during the rainy season and dry season, and I was touched to vow to buy buses to support them," he added.

He urged the pupils to take their academic work seriously to become responsible citizens in the future.

"Nobody thought I would become an MP because my parents were poor, but they did everything possible to send me to school, and today I'm a great person in Ghana. The same thing can happen to our children here today; these children that we see here are our future doctors, teachers, nurses, MPs, lawyers, engineers, and pastors, so let's help them, and I have vowed to help them," he said.

He pledged to maintain the buses regularly and also to buy fuel and pay the drivers monthly.

Former Ellembelle Education Director, Peter Ackah Blay, also spoke at the event and commended Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah for the initiative.

He said the initiative would go a long way toward helping the pupils in the communities.

He called on the school management and drivers to take proper care of the buses to make them last longer.

The Chief of Ampain, Nana Nyameke Fofole II, who chaired the colorful ceremony, thanked Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.

He described the initiative as unprecedented and historic.

"This is unprecedented; no sitting MP has done this before. God bless our MP. I'm happy to see these brand new buses here for our children," he said.

He took the opportunity to rally support for Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah to be retained as Ellembelle MP for another four years to do more projects for the constituency.

The Assembly Member of the area, Nicolas Mawule, commended the MP for coming to the aid of the pupils and promised not to allow the buses to be used for different purposes.

Moreover, the staff, pupils, community members, and sub-chiefs in the communities expressed their profound appreciation to Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah for the intervention.

Present at the colorful and historic event were the NDC 2024 parliamentary candidate, Mavis Kuukua Bissue; former Ellembelle DCE and a member of the NDC Western Regional Council of Elders, Daniel Eshun; Ellembelle Assembly Members; former Ellembelle presiding member, Dominic Nyanzu; Esiama Divisional Police Commander; staff of the Ellembelle Education Directorate; Ellembelle NDC Executives; Odikro of Nyamebekyere; Odikro of Fiasolo; Odikro of Kanokware; and the media.