Education in Ablekuma North receives major boost — MCE

Education in the Ablekuma North Municipality has received a significant boost in logistics and infrastructure in the initial two and half years of the Assembly.

This was announced by the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Kofi Ofori in his sessional address delivered during the First Ordinary Meeting of the Second Assembly of the Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly.

As part of other objectives, the session sought to evaluate the progress made by the assembly in respect of projects and programmes in line with the 2018-2021 Medium Term Development Plan.

He said school infrastructure which used to be a key challenge since he assumed office two years ago was now a thing of the past.

He stated that the construction of an 18-Unit Classroom block with ancillary facilities at Kwashieman and Odorkor 4&5 cluster of schools was in progress, adding that both the ground and first floors of both schools have been occupied.

According to him, over 3,000 school furniture have been distributed across the municipality and more supplies are in the offing until every child has a desk.

Furthermore, he mentioned that 1,266 school uniforms have been distributed to pupils in the various schools across the municipality.

The MCE said this academic year, school enrollment at various schools has increased significantly thanks to the new curriculum introduced by the Ministry of Education.

Adequate Personal Protective Equipment, he said have been provided across all the schools.

On revenue, he said at the end of the first quarter, revenue collection stood at 29% of the annual budgeted amount of Ghc3,916,476.05.

He said though revenue collection was picking up, the major challenge faced by the Assembly was that residents were not honouring their tax obligations with Covid-19 being a potential factor.

According to him, in order to improve revenue generation and mobilization to match the increasing expenditure, management has entered into partnership with Weija Business Resource Centre under the National Board for Small Scale Industries ( NBSSI) to assist the Assembly collect revenue from signage and billboards.

"It is our expectation that the coming on board of this state agency would help block leakages in that area", he said.

He added that more education would be done to pursue people to honour their tax obligation to the state.

Other strategies, he said being rolled out aimed at improving on revenue are the valuation of all immovable properties by the Land Valuation Division of Lands Commission, adding that intense public education and sensitization would be embarked upon across the municipality on rate payment.

The MCE disclosed that management was committed to cutting down on expenses and redirect the gains in other areas of development.

According to him, road infrastructure remains a major catalyst towards economic and social development of any nation.

To this end, he said the Assembly places much value on the improvement of roads in the municipality, adding that in the next phase of the administration of the assembly, major and minor drainage works would be tackled and artillery roads would be improved upon to ensure the free flow of traffic.

The MCE noted that the challenges of sanitation which is a canker the nation continues to deal with, is also on the development agenda of the assembly adding that attitudinal change is key towards achieving total sanitation.

The assembly, he said was embarking on a conscious effort to implement the one-house one-bin project to curtail the rate of indiscriminate waste disposal.

Hon. Ofori said it was important that the nation took a decisive step on the issue of plastic waste which continues to upset the environment by blocking the free flow of water.

In a conscious approach to alleviating flooding as the rains set in, he said the assembly was dredging most drains to forestall any eventuality.

He thanked all stakeholders who played a part in the successes chalked by the Assembly adding that in the next phase of the assembly, massive infrastructure and social transformation would be realized.