As the saying goes that “there is no future for any country / community without education in this 21st century”. There is no doubt that a developmental, generous, wise, selfless and father for the fatherless chief like Nkwantakese (Nana Boakye Yam Ababio I ) has been very keen in bring higher educational standards to the populace of Nkwantakese in the Afigya Kwabre District of Ashanti region especially the younger generation since the future lies in their hands.
In order to accomplish this, Nana Boakye Yam Ababio unlike other selfish traditional leaders and politicians has instituted the following measures: Firstly, motivation of teachers. Apart from the National Best Teachers ’Awards which is organised annually by the government that goes to the selected few teachers, Nkwantakesehene in his own way motivates every teacher within the community the last week of every December before Christmas. He does this by having a party for all the school kids and the teachers and also giving every teacher a life chicken to enjoy the Christmas festivities. In fact, when teachers’ salaries for the month of December were delayed last year, many teachers could not have gone home with chicken for their families without Nana. Secondly, provision of staff bungalows. In fact, I have never seen any chief building more than three staff bungalows for teachers which houses four families in each bungalow. Other chiefs might have done similar projects but Nana Nkwantakesehene is exceptional and must be commended. Besides, all these are funded by him personally.
Thirdly, provision of school furniture. Due to Nana’s contribution towards education in the district, there was no wonder when Nkwantakese had one HIPC benefit school building under the district assembly (D/A). However, this was under furnished. But Nana in his own way provided sixty (60) double decks for the school last year without relying on the assembly or the educational directorate.
Also, Nana Boakye Yam Ababio has printed customised exercise books that he distributes to the school kids for free which encourage the kids to love and go to school especially those who parents could not have afford to buy exercise books for their kids.
Furthermore, Nana has being organising free vacation classes for the school kids at Nkwantakese with his link with Ashanti Students Union at the Cape Coast University. This is also another big initiative by Nana Boakye Yam Ababio that I think other chiefs and stakeholders must emulate. During this vacation class, Nana feeds all these university students till school reopens and provides them transportation allowance. Unfortunately, most of the parents never allow their wards to attend but rather send them to their farms. Per my personal opinion, I think Nana Boakye Yam Ababio is far better than most politicians in our society today who do not impact positively. I would like to use this medium to congratulate Nana on his good work done in education at Nkwantakese and the entire Afigya Kwabre District and Ghana as a whole. I would like to suggest that Nana should create and education endowment fund so that people who see his good works could also support in their little ways towards his good course. In a nutshell, I will also suggest to the government to support good chiefs like Nana Nkwantakesehene who have good track record and are trustworthy instead of giving all state funds through common funds to SOME MPs and DCEs that eventually ends in their personal accounts and better only their families. To be continued….