Dr Isaac Amo-Antwi, a Takoradi based Social Worker on Monday commended the Second Lady, Mrs Matilda Amissah Arthur for rendering an unqualified apology for her "Kukurantumi miscommunication".
The apology went to Ghana National Teachers Association, and Headmistress of Kukurantumi Basic School and the entire nation.
Dr Amo-Antwi noted that the posture of the Second Lady hinges on maturity, calmness, kindness, humility, and above all exhibiting an attitude of a listening mother with passion.
Speaking to newsmen in Accra, Dr Amo-Antwi noted that Mrs Amissah-Arthur, Librarian and former President of Ghana Library Association, is committed to help improve education in deprived communities in terms of assisting them with books and other educational material.
“Her comments therefore was strange and uncharacteristic of her personality, however the boldness she has exhibited by rendering public apology must be highly commended in the same manner her comment was condemned,” he said.
The Second Lady for the past five years has been helping various deprived schools across the country in her own small way by making donations to them.
From records, Mrs Amissah-Arthur has constantly called for community participation wherever she finds herself especially being at the forefront of providing social services for deprived communities particularly children in the area of education because she believes that a reading nation is an informed nation.
The Second Lady who is a keen reader has created awareness in library use and helped revived the reading culture in the country.
Besides, she has endeared herself to the cause of women and children in the country and as a result has developed a good bond of friendship with them, Dr Amo-Antwi noted.
He said Mrs Amissah Arthur’s, humanitarian work shows her deep commitment to improve conditions in deprive communities.
Dr Amo-Antwi noted that the second lady’s advocacy and philanthropic works in education, particularly for children, cuts across the nation.
So far she has championed the construction of schools, libraries and ICT centres to virtually all the regions.
Listing some of the projects initiated by the second lady, Dr Amo-Antwi noted that Mrs Amissah-Arthur has made donations to some schools including Agona Duakwa Islamic Basic School, Agona Kwanyarko Anglican Basic School all in the Agona East District.
She has also donated educational materials to the Afranse D/A Basic School, Pomadze D/A Basic School in Gomoa Central District, Oguaa Football for Hope Centre in Cape Coast, as well as presentation of reading materials to the Shama Library in the Shama District.
Besides, she inaugurated an Information and Communication Technology and Teachers Resource Centre for the people of Lower Bobikuma; inauguration of a 30-million dollar computer laboratory for PLAY Soccer Ghana, a FIFA project based in Cape Coast, that uses football and ICT to prepare children under nine years for football and leadership purposes among others.
Dr Amo-Antwi recalled that Mrs Amissah-Arthur that on July 15, she went to Kukurantumi to make a presentation of five computers and about 500 books to the Presbyterian Basic School upon a request she received from some friends.
She was however taken aback when the headmistress of the Presbyterian Basic School asked for chalk.
Dr Amo-Antwi appealed to heads of institutions, to refrain from publicly demanding things from leaders.
“We should learn to use the appropriate channel for sourcing for resources for our schools.
“The attitude of the headmistress is also unfortunate; we must learn not to stun people with demands. The headmistress should have channeled her demand through the educational structure.
“Public servants and civil servants must guide against the political cacophony of foot soldiers attacking their leaders in public. In public institutions there is clear mode for communication, which the headmistress misused,” she said.
