MTN-Chief Imams's Initiative Builds School For Wulshe-Kukuo Community

National Chief Imam

One of the biggest development problems which has plagued many Zongo communities (Muslim settlements) in Ghana for several decades now is high illiteracy rate, which has seen a lot women and girls being denied the benefit of formal education. 

This can be attributed to successive governments’ failure over the years to consider the problem as a development priority. Thus, the situation has also aided in giving birth to other challenges such as poor sanitary conditions and social vices amongst the people.  

That is not to say that there are no schools in these communities, but many of the residents there enroll their children into English and Arabic Schools which are under-resourced in terms of qualified teachers, adequate infrastructure as well as teaching and learning materials. 

Besides, there is lack of adequate supervision and monitoring by persons charged with the responsibility to take care of these schools as compared to other schools.

No wonder the Northern Region, a predominantly Muslim area, about 48.4 percent of males and 65.7 percent of females have no formal education at all according to the 2008 report of Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. 

Similarly, the report says 74.1 percent of women and 55.4 percent of men in the region cannot read at all in the English language, pegging the region as the least performing in terms of formal education in Ghana.

Therefore, the Sheik Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu Educational Trust Fund (SONSETFund), a bold initiative by the National chief Imam which is aimed at providing schools and scholarships in Zongo communities and to every Muslim student in the country, could not have come at a better time than this. 

The initiative which is being supported by MTN Ghana Foundation encourages all believers of the Islamic faith to dial or text to MTN short code 1515 to donate an amount of money towards the SONSETFund. Believers who text receive daily messages from the Qur’an and also stand the chance of winning prizes such as cash, airtime and other gifts.

Through the SONSETFund, a six-unit classroom block with office, store and toilet facility has been built for the Monawara English and Arabic School at Wulshe-Kukuo, a suburb of the Tamale Metropolis.

Commissioning the school, Godfred Kwarteng, a representative of MTN Ghana, said no other investment has such a lasting effect as the education of children, adding that “children who go to school are generally healthier, more self-assured and can more easily assume a profession. Education is therefore a major and effective “vaccine” against poverty”, he opined.

According to Mr. Kwarteng, the MTN Ghana Foundation since its inception 5 years ago has spent over GH¢7.8million in the area of education alone to enhance teaching and learning through the provision of schools, ICT centres and learning materials which is currently impacting 1.5million people.  

For instance, he cited the construction of UNDP ICT centres of learning in the Tolon District; 3-unit classroom block with office and store and an ICT centre at Kanvilli Presby Junior High School in Tamale; 6-unit classroom block with office and store at Zujung in Tamale; as well as provision of streetlights, sporting kits, supplementary readers and laboratory equipment as well as a 12-seater toilet facility for the Tamale Senior High School. 

Meanwhile, the chief of Wulshe-Kukuo Wulshe-Naa Adam Lansah recounted that the school was established in 1998 and adopted by the Ahamadiyya Education Unit to run as an English and Arabic School in 1999.    

He said since the establishment, the school has been faced with a number of challenges which include infrastructure but thanks to the National Chief Imam and MTN Ghana Foundation that has been resolved.

The chief appealed to the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and the Member of Parliament for the Tamale South Constituency to come to the aid of the school by addressing the problems of inadequate classroom furniture, inadequate textbooks and lack of a fence wall.

Yanwube Scholarship Fund For The Needy Launched In Tatale

MP for Tatale-Sanguli

The Member of Parliament for Tatale-Sanguli Constituency in the newly created Tatale District in the Northern Region of Ghana, James Cecil Yanwube, has launched a scholarship fund aimed at helping brilliant but needy students in the area.

Launching the fund dubbed: “The Yanwube Scholarship Fund” at a brief ceremony in Tatale, Mr. Yanwube said: “Throughout my campaign trips, I noticed the very low educational patronage that was widespread in every place that I went. The vow, I have kept secret until now, is being able to help out in order to lift up this low standard of education across every part of my constituency”, he disclosed.

The initiative is in fulfillment of the MP’s ultimate objective to support any student in his constituency who encounters financial challenge at any level of his/her education, to continue without dropping out or deferring their courses due to their inability to pay school fees.

“I felt that a scholarship package for brilliant but needy students to have access to full time education which my government was willing to make it free for all, up to senior high school level must be set up. My belief in education as the surest way to prosperity has remained steadfast”, he noted.

Mr. Yanwube stated that, the Fund is for all students within the constituency regardless of any party affiliation, religious inclination as well as ethnic orientation. “It is a scholarship programme for all senior high school students and those in private and public universities as well as all tertiary students who are brilliant but needy.”

Ambulance donated to Tatale hospital

He also donated an ambulance to the Tatale Hospital to replace the old ambulance which recently got burnt completely. He added GH¢700.00 to be used to register the vehicle and promised to give the hospital another GH¢7000.00 to enable management purchase an insurance policy to cover it.  

The MP for Tatale-Sanguli however appealed to government to expedite action on the Sheini iron ore project which in his estimation will offer most of the jobless youth in the area employment and thereby reduce the dependence on others for their survival.

The scholarship fund which has a seed money of GH¢30,000.00 is being managed by a six member committee led by the Headmaster of the Tatale Evangelical Presbyterian Agric Senior High School (TEPASS) Mr. K.K. Ntoba. 

In a brief remark, Mr. Ntoba recalled how sometimes brilliant but needy students in his school have had to come to his office and kneel down to beg for some time to enable them pay their fees.

 “Sometimes, we teachers have to dip our hands into our pockets and contribute money to pay the fees of these students. Therefore, for the honourable MP to take this bold decision and come to the aid of his constituents is a very big relief not only to students but also to teachers of my school”, he acknowledged.

Meanwhile, the TEPASS according to some of its students lacked some subject tutors especially in the areas of mathematics and integrated science; inadequate hostel facilities for boys, inadequate classrooms and lack of library and science laboratory. 

Established in 1998 by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the school has a student population of 720; 612 boys and 108 girls.

Why It Has Taken More Than 5yrs To Build Ghanasco Science Lab

Headmistress, Ghanaso

The construction of a multifaceted science laboratory for Ghana Senior High School (Ghanasco) in Tamale, which begun in late 2008 is yet to be completed and officially handed over to the school.

The 6.9 billion old cedi edifice (contract sum at the time of sod-cutting) is a government of Ghana project and intends to enhance the practicals aspect of science education in the school.

Breaking the ground for the beginning of construction of the laboratory, the then Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris (R.I.P) said, since the facility is the first of its kind, resources in it will serve other schools apart from Ghanasco so as to promote the effective teaching and study of science.

The construction of the laboratory was to take 15 months, and would have six different laboratories within one building, with each accommodating 50 students at a time when it is eventually completed.

However, it is almost five years down the line and the entire construction, including (laboratory installations) are yet to be completed in order to pave way for official handing over and utilization by the school.

Regrettably, before the project is completed and handed over, the building has already started deteriorating. Cobwebs and dusts have invaded the various departments of the building made up of physics, chemistry and biology laboratories at the time of visit by this reporter a month ago.

Besides, domestic animals such as goats and sheep frequently take over the building premises as their home whenever it is raining or when they want a quiet place to rest, as their droppings can be noticed almost everywhere.

Paintings of the walls outside of the building have also started peeling off or undergoing decolourisation, making the entire edifice look dirty!

Headmistress of Ghanasco Mrs. Mary Asobayire Dan-Braimah told Savannahnews in an interview, that the execution of the laboratory project is still on course. “Currently, they have reached a stage where they’re fixing cabinets, gas cylinders and other equipment”, she mentioned.

She however, could not state emphatically, what has accounted for the delay of the completion of the project and directed this blogger to seek answers from the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC).

When contacted, the Chief Director of the NRCC Alhaji Alhassan Issahaku declined to grant any interview to this blogger until he writes officially to his office stating exactly what he (reporter) was investigating.

Alhaji Issahaku will not also confirm nor deny that the NRCC (government) is the initiator/implementer of the project, but when pushed further by this blogger, he said he believes the delay in completion may be as a result of challenges on the part of government in financing it or the contractor.

Established in 1960, Ghanasco is noted for its great feats in the field of science over the years. Some few decades ago, it became the first second cycle institution in Africa to launch a rocket into space and had consistently done this over the years during special occasions. Ghanasco offer courses such as Agric Science, Science, General Arts, Business and Home Science.   

Aftermath Of 18th GJA Awards: A Challenge To PRINPAG

There are organisations in this world which many men and women of great repute will never in their lifetime dare to associate themselves with; they will never want to work with them in anyway and neither will they even accept gold or diamond offered them by such organisations. 

Unfortunately, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is striding towards these organisations and that could cost them a lot if pragmatic steps are not taken to address the scandals that show up after every awards night. 

Dear reader, you might have read what Manasseh Azuri Awuni Bongo wrote about what happened during the 17^th and 18^th GJA Awards.

After reading Manasseh’s article, I felt so sorry for the current GJA President, Dr. Affail Monney and his team of men and women at the national level and various regional chapters of the association.

Manasseh says in his article captioned: “Manasseh’s Folder: The GJA Awards and matters arising” published on www.myjoyonline.com, at the 17th GJA awards in 2012, “I was called to receive an award which wasn’t mine. The category was the best reporter in radio news. When I heard my name for that category, I realised something was wrong. I didn’t submit any radio entry.” 

Manasseh continued: “I hesitated but went on to receive it in order not to disrupt the programme, which was live on TV. When I picked up the prize, both the plaque and certificate bore the name of Mr. Dominic Hlordzi of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. As soon as I stepped down, I quickly went backstage to alert, the MC and the organizers. I was told that the list given to the MC had Mr. Hlordzi’s name, but the recorded announcements which appeared on the electronic screen had my name.” 

“I told them to effect the correction because Dominic Hlordzi was present at the ceremony. When I sat for sometime and realised the ceremony was ending without the correction, I went back and argued that it would not be fair to end the ceremony without awarding Mr. Hlordzi. I also drew the attention of one GJA executive member to the blunder” he revealed.

“At a point I had to give up because I had heard whispers that I would be declared winner of the topmost award and walking around was not the best thing to do. The ceremony ended without the correction, and Mr. Hlordzi went home without an award. He had come with his family members”, Manasseh painfully recalled.

Manasseh also cited Richard Kwadwo Nyarko, Central Regional Correspondent of Joy FM who said to him that, during the GJA executive elections this year, his name was published in both the Daily Graphic and The Ghanaian Times as GJA member in good standing. He therefore voted to elect the current executive. 

Sadly however, Richard, who was named as an awardee at a press conference a few days before the 18^th GJA Awards night, was later denied the award a few hours to the event. This is mind-boggling. The reason was that the GJA Executive said he was not a member of good standing and thus didn’t deserve any award. Disappointed and perhaps angry, Richard reluctantly had to drive back to Cape Coast in the company of his wife who followed him all the way to Accra to attend the event. 

In fact, I agree with Manasseh that the organization of the awards leaves much to be desired. I rated last year’s event to be better organized than this year’s. I say so because the event was somehow boring with so many speeches and awardees were not given the opportunity to say a word or two to some people who might have helped them in building their career. 

I must confess that, after reading Manasseh’s article, the yearning desire which regularly urges me to be a registered member of the GJA just died. I felt that I didn’t and still don’t need to be a member of the GJA now and in the near future, and neither do I need a GJA Award to show to the world that I am a good, hardworking Ghanaian journalist who is contributing his bit in a nook somewhere in the North to make the world a better place for the poor and oppressed. 

Indeed I said to myself that, if care is not taken by the Affail Monney Administration and future leaderships of the GJA, a time will come when some former awardees will return all the awards they ever won and direct that, their names be erased from any records that show that they ever won GJA awards. 

Besides, corporate institutions such as MTN, RLG Communications, Uniliver and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation among others, are likely to lose interest in sponsoring any event of the GJA because of scandals such as what we’ve already seen which have the tendency to ruin their image and future business prospects.  

Where is PRINPAG?

After reading Manasseh’s article, what came to my mind next was PRINPAG. I understand that the number of private newspapers in Ghana currently is inching towards one hundred. If what I gathered is anything to go by, it means that the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana can also and should start organizing awards to honour its members and reporters. 

Come to think of it, aside the annual Ghana Music Awards organised by the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), there are also other events like the 4sight Music Video Awards, Reggae and Dancehall Artistes Awards and Gospel Music Awards organised separately by recognised bodies on different dates to honour professionals of the various music genre. 

Also, the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) and the Radio and Television Personality (RTP) Awards are another unique opportunities created by recognized bodies to honour deserving sports journalists, and sportsmen and women as well as other media practitioners. 

Dear PRINPAG, I know you are still alive and kicking. In fact, I think this is the time for you to stand up to the challenge posed by the different professional groupings mentioned above, especially the GJA, which many journalists are increasingly feeling disappointed about. PRINPAG, you have the numbers and so should have the capacity to start organizing awards to honour your hardworking members. Till you hear from me again, have a good time!