Tullow Ghana has unveiled a 16-unit boys’ dormitory block for the Nsutaman Catholic Senior High School in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region.
The project is part of Tullow Ghana’s commitment to invest US$10 million over a period of five years in the construction of infrastructure to help government’s policy of providing free access to quality secondary education.
A total of over 400 students out of the over 2000 students will benefit from the 400-student capacity dormitory built by Tullow Ghana. Additionally, the project will address the accommodation challenges and ensure proper spacing to avoid the spread of any virus, especially covid-19.
The ceremony attracted a number of dignitaries, including the acting President of the Nsuta Traditional Council, Nana Osei Bosompem III; the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Konongo-Mampong, Most Rev. Joseph Osei Bonsu, and the Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr Augustine Owusu Sekyere.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, a deputy minister for Education, Gifty Twum-Ampofo, said: “This great gesture by Tullow Ghana is to complement the infrastructure needs of the free SHS project which was introduced in 2017 to help improve access, equity as well as quality as many more students have in the past few years gained admission to schools of their choice across the country.”
The successful introduction of the free SHS initiative is substantively the tracking system that led to the current 1.2million students in our second cycle institutions, that is we have seen the growth of 50% intake to our second cycle institutions.
She stated that, “the government is focused on the training of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to ensure that graduates are skilled to reduce unemployment in the country,” adding that, “another major focus is the revamping of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) sectors to train skilled manpower which organizations like Tullow needs to support the development of our country.”
She commended Tullow Ghana for building a legacy that will not only benefit the chiefs and people of Nsutaman but benefit other students in the country who will be coming to the school to pursue various courses for their future.
Deputy Managing Director of Tullow Ghana, Cynthia Lumor, said: “for us at Tullow we consider the commissioning of the new 16-block dormitory as an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the people of Ghana, we are all involved in building our motherland.
Our focus areas of capacity building through education & skills development in STEM; strengthening local and national economies and developing shared infrastructure, will continue to influence all the interventions we make in Ghana now and in the future.”
“This 16-unit dormitory block will add to the existing educational infrastructure in the region and benefit close to 500 students annually, who will ultimately add to the contributions of this great region. Tullow is happy to play a role in harnessing the creative, innovative skills and talent of these students for maximum future impact,” she added.
The headmistress of Nsutaman Catholic Senior High School, Victoria Ussher, appreciated Tullow Ghana for the project as it will greatly support the students, staff and management of the school.
In June this year, Tullow Ghana handed over a similar structure to the Nsein Senior High School in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region. The facility currently accommodates 570 female students which has reduced the high rate of over-crowding and increased enrolment of the by 28%.
