US gov’t doles out $19.7 million to Ghana gov’t

• Posted on August 4, 2014August 4, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

 The United States government has doled out 19.7 million US Dollar grant to Ghana government for the expansion of education infrastructure in rural communities.

Under the sponsorship of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the amount is meant for the construction of 159 education projects across the country.

These comprise 50 kindergartens, 49 Junior High Schools, 15 education directorates and 45 Water Closet toilet facilities across the country in 38 deprived districts.

So far, 53 out of 68 of such projects have been completed in the Northern region and handed over to the beneficiary communities.

Sagnarigu district which was carved out of the Tamale Metro Area is among the beneficiary districts.

At the commissioning of the Choggu-Yapalsi Kindergarten block and a toilet facility at Kanvili, District Chief Executive for Sagnarigu, Mr. Mohammed Alhassan Sorigudoo applauded the USAID for sustaining government’s development agenda.

Mr. Sorigudoo pushed for more support from the donor community to improve the standard of education in the entire northern.

He pleaded with the chiefs and people of the beneficiary communities to zealously maintain the projects.

Mr. Sorigudoo implored education authorities in his district to use the facilities as a yardstick to increase enrolment.

He counseled teachers to desist from absenteeism and lateness to school.

Director of funds and procurement at the Ministry of Education, Dr. Felix Nelson Amoakoh said the projects were meant to fill in the gaps of education infrastructure in deprived communities.

According to him, the Northern Region is to benefit from 22 kindergartens, 22 JHS blocks, 22 Water Closet toilet facilities and two education directorates.

Dr. Amoakoh expressed confidence in government’s determination to clear the deficit in education infrastructure.

The Head teacher and pupils of Choggu-Yapalsi primary school thanked government and the USAID for alleviating their plight.

The head teacher described the old structures as death traps which needed renovation.

She revealed that her administration was always compelled to send the pupils home anytime there were signs of rain.

Chief Executive Officer of Balima Construction Company Limited, Issaka Balima Amadu who constructed the Kanvili, Bilpela and Choggu-Yapalsi projects donated 600 exercise books to the schools.

Each school received a package of 200 exercise books as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility.

Issaka Balima pegged the cost of the three projects at GHC324, 000.

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah