Ketum-Atrobinya D/A Basic School gets new bungalows, classroom

Ten bungalows and 9 units of classrooms built at an estimated cost of GHC3 million by the Banana Farm Fairtrade Premium Committee of the Golden Exotics Company Limited for teachers, nurses and pupils in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region were on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 inaugurated at a colourful ceremony at Kewum-Atrobinya and Volivo.

The construction of 6 units of classrooms for the Ketum-Atrobinya D/A Basic School and three units of classrooms for the kindergarten section of the same school and 10 semi-detached housing units for nurses and teachers, was financed with funds from the Golden Exotics Limited Banana Farm Fairtrade Premium Committee.

Each of the bungalow units is fitted with a hall, bedroom, kitchen, toilet, bath and porch and ceiling fans as well as four 10,000 litre polytanks.

The classroom blocks are also furnished with 90 dual desks for the primary section, 15 hexagonal desks for the KG, 14 teachers’ tables and 29 teachers’ chairs.

Chairman of the Fairtrade Premium Committee, Mr. Isaac Terkper presented the keys to the facilities to the District Chief Executive for Shai Osudoku, Daniel Teye Akuffo who also presented same to the District Director of Education, Mrs. Elizabeth Awoonor-Williams and Reverend Ebenezer Asiamah, District Director of Health Services.



Managing Director of Golden Exotics Limited (GEL) Benedict Rich who inaugurated the classroom and bungalows said the projects were made possible following receipt of Fairtrade premiums from its customers in Europe amounting to about € 1 million annually.

He maintained that Golden Exotics Limited and Fairtrade were dedicated to executing these corporate social responsibilities to ensure the welfare and development of the workers of the company and the host community in which they work.

The Managing Director named other ongoing projects as a subsided daily lunch project, educational support for workers, their spouses and children in tertiary education and school supplies to children of workers in senior high schools.

Benedict Rich bemoaned the worrying tendency of the youth to seek greener pastures from other parts of the world arguing that “if the young men and women have reliable jobs and decent wages, they will have no motivation to cross deserts and oceans in rickety boats in search of non-existing jobs in Europe.”

District Chief Executive for Shai Osudoku, Mr. Daniel Teye Akuffo noted that accommodation for teachers and nurses was one of the major problems facing the District and praised the FPC for the timely intervention.



He described the role being played by the company in undertaking massive infrastructural developments as complimenting the efforts of government as resources that would have gone into these projects would be expended on needs of other communities.

“What Golden Exotics and Fairtrade are doing is that they are closing the developmental gap. These projects are projects that were likely to be executed by the Assembly or central government,” said the Assembly Chief.

He added: “For these projects that have been done by golden exotics it means that we are saving the Assembly’s money or central government’s money to execute some other projects in other communities.”

He assured Golden Exotics of government’s continued support to expand the scope of operations of the company to enable it employ more workers in addition to the existing 3000 workforce.

Mr. Akuffo however charged the beneficiaries to ensure maximum maintenance of the facilities to ensure their longevity to serve the purpose.



He took advantage of the occasion to urge the general public to avail themselves for the COVID-19 vaccination when the second phase of the exercise in which the district falls, begins promising to be the first to take the jab.

“I’m also encouraging all of us so that when it gets to that time [second phase], I’ll be the number one to take the jab, that is important,” said the DCE who said the move is to erase any fears the people may harbor regarding the vaccines.

Divisional Chief of Gbese Tekuorsi, Nene Ogbey Assumeng who represented the Paramount Chief of the Osudoku Traditional Area, Aadegbor Ngmongmowuyaa Kwesi Animle VI commended Golden Exotics and the Fairtrade Premium Committee for the gesture, adding that this would “contribute immensely to education and health delivery services in the area.”

He advised the teachers and nurses to embrace the projects as motivations to their work to put in their utmost best in the performance of their duties.

To the divisional chief, proper maintenance culture of the facility must be done to ensure is sustenance.

Nene Ogbey Assumeng however appealed to Golden Exotics to expedite action on equipping the Osuwem Vocational School.

Dignity for All Programme Coordinator, Jonathan Lanidune described GEL as the most performing organization in West Africa and one of the best in Africa when it comes to the application of premium on impactful and life changing projects for communities.

According to him, Golden Exotics remains only one of few organisations supported by Fairtrade Africa (FTA) in various ways.



“Golden exotics limited is one of 30-35 producer organizations in Ghana that FTA supports not only creating awareness on the standards but providing opportunities to identify and invest in projects such as these being commissioned.”

He added that banana producers including GEL and FT have also committed to working progressively towards achieving a living wage for its workers to enable them secure a dignified livelihood for themselves.