By Yussif Ibrahim
Obuasi, Dec. 12, GNA-The Obuasi Municipal Assembly has cut a sod for the construction of a six-unit classroom for the Bidieso primary school in the Municipality.
The one-storey classroom block is the only new or additional infrastructure after 67 years of the school’s existence as an educational facility in the community.
The construction of the new classroom facility is expected to address an age-long challenge of low enrolment, due to the poor state of the existing classroom.
The first phase of the project involving the ground floor construction comes with an eight-seater water closet toilet facility and a staff common room.
The construction of the second floor under phase two will have a head teacher’s office, storeroom, and a six-seater water closet.
Mr. Elijah Adansi-Bonah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), at a short ceremony to hand over the site to the contractor, said the Assembly was fully aware of the infrastructural deficits in some schools in the Municipality, hence had committed resources to address the situation.
“Since I assumed office in 2017, I have made it a personal commitment to ensure we bridge the infrastructural gaps in schools in the Municipality.
Currently, work is ongoing at New Nsuta School, Methodist school at Antoboase, Sanso KG and Bogobiri School.
We have also completed school projects at Kokoteasua, Adaase, Salvation, Presby School, among others,” he pointed out.
He said funding for the Bidieso school project was coming from the District Assemblies Common Fund – Response Factor Grant and that it was expected to be completed in six months.
He charged the contractor for the project, UNICO Express to complete and handover the project within the stipulated time in the contract.
Mr. David Agyei, the Municipal Works Engineer, tasked the school authorities to support the contractor during the construction phase and pledged to supervise the project to ensure it met the required standard.
The Headmistress of the School, Ms. Helena Anquandah lauded the Assembly for coming to their aid, saying the school had over the years struggled with infrastructure, resulting in overcrowding in some classrooms.
She said, “The decision to construct the classroom block for the school had come as a welcome relief to us, the teachers, and the students.
We have had a dip in school enrolment due to inadequate classroom blocks.”
Mr. Ishmael Yakubu Coffee, Assembly Member for Bidieso- Mangoase Electoral Area also pledged his support to the contractor during the construction period.
GNA