Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL) has completed and handed over a three-unit classroom block to the chiefs and people of Kegyina in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.
The classroom block, which is furnished with chairs, tables, as well as an office, was completed in a period of three month at a cost of GH¢529,572.71. The rooms are tiled, with ceiling fans and properly illuminated.
The project follows an application made by the Chief and people of Kegyina for the classroom block. Following the application, GREL held a stakeholder engagement and durbars as part of efforts to ensure the whole community bought into the project.
The Chief of Kegyina, Nana Ebuley Kofi II, was full of delight when the three-unit classroom block was formally commissioned and handed over to the community. Nana Ebuley Kofi said the project was a result of the good relationship that existed between the rubber company and the community.
“The lands we offered GREL for their rubber plantation has become beneficial to us, and this has manifested in this project.”
The Kegyina Chief, however, requested the rubber company to consider furnishing the school with computers and accessories to aid in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) course studied at the basic level.
The Corporate Affairs Manager of GREL, Perry Acheampong, who read a speech on behalf of the Managing Director, said the project was the company’s commitment and contribution to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 – that is quality education in the company’s operational areas.
He said GREL placed much premium on quality education because of its benefit to the individual, family, community, and nation.
The Managing Director reminded the gathering that under the Association of Chiefs on whose lands GREL operate (ACALANGO), a number of educational projects had been completed for a number of host communities.
To this end, those who were yet to have their share of the projects should exercise patience, since it would surely get to their turn.
He, however, implored the Chief and the community to consider the three-unit classroom blocks as their own and take very god care of it.
The Municipal Chief Executive for the area, Elizabeth Dorcas Amoah, admonished the community to consider education a priority and take their wards to school.
She said there was no way GREL would put up the classroom block if the community did not consider education a priority.
The Municipal Education Director, Nathaniel Affum, on his part, expressed amazement at the speed at which the project had been completed and handed over for use.
He said there was no doubt the project would help in teaching and learning, considering the deplorable states of some school facilities in the Municipal.
Present at the commissioning were the Chairman of ACALANGO, Nana Kwesi Agyemang, the Omanhene of Lower Dixcove, and Awulae Atibrukusu, Omanhene of Lower Axim and Vice President of ACALANGO.
