Former Minister for Information and the current Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has commissioned and handed over a newly completed school block at Abenase Methodist School, marking the ninth school facility he has delivered to communities in the constituency since 2017.
The latest project forms part of a sustained effort by the MP to improve access to quality education in the constituency, which he described as historically deprived, where educational opportunities have played a critical role in transforming lives.
Addressing residents at the commissioning ceremony, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah reflected on the impact of education in his own life, noting that it remains the most powerful tool for social mobility in communities like Ofoase-Ayirebi.
“If you have been with us here in the community, you will know that we are a very deprived community and education has been the major reason for which the lives of people have been transformed here. I use myself as an example, my own family story only got transformed because of education,” he said.
Since assuming office in 2017, the MP has prioritised replacing makeshift learning environments, particularly schools under trees, with permanent classroom infrastructure across the constituency.
“We have been trying to move to concrete classroom blocks and take away schools under trees. This is number nine in about nine years,” he stated.
He disclosed that two additional school projects currently under construction and are expected to be completed within the year, bringing the total number of schools delivered under his tenure to eleven.
According to him, the goal of the initiative is to provide a conducive learning environment that will enable students to excel academically and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.
“The idea is to give the children a better studying environment so that they can do better and when they graduate, they will come back to reinvest in the community,” he explained.
He further encouraged students to take advantage of the improved facilities and strive for excellence through discipline and commitment to their studies.
“The students can be better than me. What they need is to take their studies seriously, be disciplined and aim higher than I have done,” he advised.
The Abenase School adds to a growing portfolio of educational infrastructure projects delivered across the constituency, including new facilities at Akyem Anyinase Presbyterian Basic School, Akyem Bontodiase Presbyterian Basic School and Akyem Ayirebi Presbyterian Junior High School.
Several six unit classroom blocks have also been constructed to address overcrowding and replace dilapidated structures.
These projects have largely been financed through the World Bank, Oppong Nkrumah Education and Skills Development Fund, established in 2017 to improve education infrastructure and support teacher welfare in the area.
The new school facilities are equipped with modern classrooms, staff common rooms, office space, electricity and sanitation facilities to enhance teaching and learning.
Beyond education, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also highlighted complementary efforts to improve living conditions for public sector workers in the constituency.
He noted that the Ministry of Works and Housing is currently undertaking the construction of housing units for teachers, doctors and other essential workers, an initiative he led during his tenure as sector minister.
He added that additional plans are underway to provide bungalow accommodation for teachers to improve retention and service delivery.
The MP expressed appreciation to contractors and stakeholders who contributed to the successful completion of the project and called on parents and teachers to ensure the proper maintenance of the facility.
