Inauguration of Auditorium

Koforidua, Nov. 26, GNA - A 2.6 billion-cedi auditorium for the distance learning programme built in Koforidua by the Eastern Regional branch of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) was on Friday inaugurated.

All the 18,000 members of the branch contributed 120,000 cedis each to finance the project, which took nine months to be completed by Messrs BOSSEL Construction Limited.

Inaugurating the facility, acting National President of GNAT, Ms Portia Molly Anafo said the project was a symbol of unity, responsibility and foresight of the members and asked them to regularly maintain the facility so that it could last long. She said the association was studying the White Paper and the report of the Education Review Commission and would come out with its views.

Ms Anafo advised teachers who would be requested to take part in any electoral exercise, "to take off their political cloaks and put on the garment of nationalism and patriotism" to ensure that the 2004 General Election was conducted freely, fairly and peacefully. The General Secretary of GNAT, Mrs Irene Duncan-Adanusa advised teachers against sexual promiscuity to avoid contracting HIV/AIDS. The Eastern Regional chairman of GNAT, Mr Solomon Djaba-Mensah commended members of the branch for pooling their resources to build the auditorium.

He expressed the hope that the facility would serve as a centre of academic and professional excellence towards improving teaching and learning.

The immediate past National President of GNAT, Mr Kwame Amo-Darko called on the Ghana Education Service to engage the services of dedicated retired teachers to improve the quality of teaching. He later inaugurated the New Juaben Association of Retired Headteachers in Koforidua.

The former Methodist Bishop of Asante-Effiduase, Right Reverend Moses Owusu-Antwi dedicated the auditorium, while Ms Anafo cut the tape to inaugurate it.