By P.K.Yankey, GNA
Daboase(W/R),Dec.03,GNA - Plantations Socfinaf Ghana (PSG) Limited has dedicated a 12-unit classroom block to the Daboase Senior High and Technical School in the Wassa-East district.
The gesture forms part of the company's corporate social responsibility and petitions received from chiefs last year.
Cutting the tape to handover the block to the school at the new site of the school at Daboase, the Managing Director of Socfinaf,Mr.George Kwateng said the company would not renege on its pledge to provide social infrastructure especially in education.
He said the company had kept faith with the government and indigenes of Wassa-East as it provided 2,400 indigenes of the area and abroad with employment.
He said the company would continue to produce palm oil in substantial quantities, which earns a lot of foreign exchange for the nation.
"For a continuous period of 10 years, Socfinaf made a commitment of US$25,000 to the government of Ghana", the Managing Director said.
According to him, the company achieved that following its massive production of 20,000 acres of rubber plantation in the District.
Mr Kwateng said over the past 7 years, the company made financial assistance to brilliant, but needy students at a cost of GH¢39,000.00 bringing the cost of social intervention in the District to GH¢982,000.00.
He said the company had a deficit of GH¢220, 000.00 to spend on the other projects at the new site of the Daboase Senior High and Technical School and promised to offset this amount by 2020 and 2021.
The Kwateng said the company earmarked GH¢37,000.00 to make access roads in its operational jurisdiction and thanked the government for the opportunity to operate in Ghana and the chiefs for releasing land for the school block and appealed to the District Assembly to maintain the building for generations yet unborn.
Receiving the keys to the classrooms on behalf of the school, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Wassa-East,Mr.Wilson Arthur admitted that investment in education determined the future of every nation hence government’s commitment towards good quality education delivery.
As a result, the introduction of the free SHS programme, which led to higher enrollment and alleviated the burdens of most Ghanaians.
Mr Arthur said a committee would be formed to have an oversight responsibility of the corporate social responsibility fund of US$250,000 initiated by the company.
The DCE said with the -12-unit classroom block coupled with that of the GNPC, the entire school would soon move to the new site.
Mr. Arthur said the Assembly provided the new site with solar energy as it waited to be connected to the national electricity grid.
The DCE said the school would venture more into Agriculture as it was the only school selected in the Western Region and provided with 4 fish ponds.
The Member of Parliament(MP) for the area, Mr. Isaac Adjei Mensah thanked the Managing Director of Socfinaf and called on all leaders in the area to regularise the company to get the social license to operate effectively.
He noted that the company has a great vision to assist the area grow and used the occasion to appeal to the two chieftaincy factions in the area to unite and co-operate to attract more investment into the area.
Mr Mensah said he would support the company in his capacity as an MP of the areas and appealed to management of the company to train and employ local people to better their lot.
The District Director of Education, Madam Ernestina Christina Winful was grateful to PSG Ltd. for the contributions to education and implored students to improve upon the academic records of the school especially with new the facilities.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr.Joseph Amoasi said half of the student population of 879 would move into the new site for smooth and sound academic work.
He said the existing facilities at the old site of the school were bas as the classrooms got flooded anytime it rained.
GNA
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