WAPCo hands over GH¢65,000 teachers` quarters…to people of Kpone

The management of the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) last Tuesday handed over a GH¢65,000 teachers' quarters to the chiefs and people of the Kpone Traditional Area at a colourful ceremony at Kpone.

The residential block, which is made up of three one-bedroom self-contained apartments, is to be used by newly-transferred teachers to the area who do not readily have accommodation until they find a place for themselves.

Teachers who will be staying there will be paying a token for the maintenance of the facility.

A little over two years ago, the company handed over a block containing two bedroom self-contained flats estimated at a cost of GH¢83,000 to the chiefs and people in the area, to be allocated to newly-transferred headteachers under similar conditions.

Speaking at the ceremony, the company's General Manager in charge of Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Harriet Wereko-Brobby, said the gesture was in line with the company's community development programme, which is being implemented in all the company's project affected communities in Nigeria, Benin Togo and Ghana.

Mrs. Wereko-Brobby hinted that since January 2009, gas has been running through the pipelines, stating; “In fact, in April this year, WAPCo natural gas was used for the generation of electricity.”

She therefore appealed to members of the community to avoid the use of dynamite for fishing, as the practice was not only illegal, but very dangerous, especially when it is done near any of the pipelines in the sea, as it could explode and cause a massive disaster.

Addressing the function, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Robert Kempes Ofosuware, commended the company for the bold initiative to provide accommodation for teachers who would be posted to the area, saying the gesture would go a long way to motivate the teachers to give out their very best in the discharge of their duties.

“In keeping with the national objective of making basic education a right to all Ghanaian children, the TMA will strive to ensure the provision of the quality education is not just an event like this, but a continuous process which should not rest on government alone, but must be a shared responsibility,” he noted.

He appealed to other corporate bodies within the metropolis to emulate WAPCo's shinning example, and support other deprived communities, especially in the areas of education and health.

On his part, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, explained that it was our moral obligation, as a people, to give quality education to our children, so that they can contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of our dear nation.

He therefore outlined certain educational infrastructural projects he had earmarked to undertake with his share of the MP's Development Fund within his constituency in the years ahead.

The MP hinted that he had plans to construct a Senior High School building at Kpone with a library and a computer laboratory, as well as provide scholarships to brilliant but needy pupils within his constituency.

“I also intend to put up kitchen facilities at Kpone, Appolonia, Katamansu, Zeenu, Oyibi and Santeo, so that our children can have the full benefit of the national School Feeding Programme,” he said.