Three of 16 Model SHS in Zongo Communities to begin this year - Bawumia

Three of the 16 Model Senior High Schools in Zongo Communities across the 16 regions will begin this year, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has said.

The Vice President announced this in Accra on Wednesday when he inaugurated a six-unit classroom block for Tunga Islamic Community School at Dansoman in the Ablekuma West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The model SHSs formed part of government's efforts to improve education and living standards of the people in Zongp Communities.

Other facilities attached to the six-unit block include a washroom, staffroom and a room for computer laboratory aimed at improving teaching and learning.

The facility was funded by the Zongo Development Fund, which is a frontline agency for developing the Zongo and Inner cities.

Currently, the Fund is implementing more than 300 projects across the country to enhance development in Zongo communities.

Some of the projects and interventions include classroom blocks, roads, astro-turfs, mechanised boreholes, drainage systems, ICT centres and bridges, as well as providing employable skill training for the Zongo youth in beads-making, leather works, dressmaking, liquid soap preparation among others, to empower them to be financially self-reliant.

The commissioning of the six-unit classroom block attracted pupils, parents and guardians, Member of Parliament for the area, Madam Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Zongo chiefs, Imams and the Clergy.

Vice President Bawumia noted that since Ghana attained independence in 1957, no government has ever allocated a budget deliberately for the development of Zongo communities.

Therefore, he said, the establishment of the Fund dedicated to Zongo communities by the Akufo-Addo's Government was indisputably unprecedented.

"In the Greater Accra Region for instance, we have undertaken a massive renovation and upgrading of the popular Institute of Islamic Studies (Research) at Nima, work is also currently on-going for the comprehensive rehabilitation of Ansarudeen Islamic School founded by His Eminence the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, at New Fadama," the Vice President said.

"Additionally, government, through the Zongo Development Fund has provided teaching and learning materials to the Islamic Education Unit of the Ghana Education Service for distribution to schools in several Zongo Communities in the Greater Accra Region," he added.

Dr Bawumia noted that the interventions by the Fund were commendable efforts aimed at bridging the yawning gap in the educational fortunes of Zongo communities vis-a vis other communities.

He said the Government had implemented a comprehensive development of educational infrastructure in Zongo communities to improve the health facilities, sanitation, human resource development through skills training and educational grants as well as improving the ambience, visibility and security in Zongo communities.

He said communities such as New Fadama and Madina had witnessed remarkable transformation in social, recreational and sporting activities through the construction of community Sports and social centres and urged the people to take good care of the facilities.

Mr Christian Julius Aforlah, the Ablekuma West Municipal Director of Education, thanked the government for making massive investment in education, which had increased school enrolment.

He said, currently there are more than 11,000 pupils enrolled at the basic level in the municipality, made up of 5,346 boys and 5,686 girls.

Dr Arafat Sulemana Abdulai, the Chief Executive Officer of the Zongo Development Fund, expressed the government's commitment to improving the living conditions of people in the Zongo Communities.

Madam Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Member of Parliament for the area, said the Akufo-Addo's government did not discriminate in sharing the national cake and believed that maintaining the government in power would bring more infrastructure projects to Zongo enclaves.

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