By Alex Ababio
EKK Foundation has made a significant contribution to the education of pupils in Mirekukrom, Nsawora District in the Western North Region. The foundation, led by its CEO, Mr. Evans Kofi Kwafo, donated essential educational supplies and materials, while also calling on Ghanaians, particularly philanthropists and charitable organizations, to join efforts in supporting education in underserved areas.
At the donation event, the foundation provided 50 bags of cement to help complete a six-unit classroom block, alongside 1,500 exercise books, school bags, shoes, desks for teachers, and other teaching materials. Mr. Kwafo stressed the ongoing struggles faced by rural schools due to poor infrastructure, inadequate resources, and limited access to qualified teachers.
“These children are often left behind due to poor roads and lack of infrastructure,” Mr. Kwafo said, urging private sector involvement to complement government efforts. He emphasized that achieving quality education, as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), requires collective action.
‘We cannot expect the government to do it all “, he stressed.” Private sector involvement is crucial if we are serious about improving living standards across Ghana”
He further suggested that the government track all educational supplies to ensure they reach the intended recipients in remote areas, citing concerns about mismanagement.
“I would like to suggest that the government, through its national security apparatus, monitor all educational supplies to ensure they reach the intended pupils. I raise this concern because some teachers and school management take the supplies provided by the government without distributing them to the children.”
Nana Kwadwo Tetteh, the Odikro of Mirekukrom, expressed deep appreciation for the donation and appealed for further assistance from the government and development partners to improve the community’s educational and health infrastructure.
“It is deeply concerning when children fall ill and there is no health facility to care for them. At times, we are forced to take them to the district capital for treatment, which is a major challenge for us.”
He also raised concerns about the destruction of water bodies due to illegal mining, urging the government to take action.
“All our rivers, which we rely on for drinking water, are being destroyed by illegal mining (galamsey), leaving us without clean water. We are urging the government to take action and stop those responsible from destroying our water sources.”