Methodist Church of Ghana and partners build SHS for Sakoti

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Sakoti The Methodist Church of Ghana in partnership with the Living Word United Methodist Church, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A has constructed a new Senior High Technical School at Sakoti in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region. The GH c 300,000 project, which has facilities such as six classrooms, offices, library, staff common room and washrooms is to help provide the youth in the area with access to quality education and to make them play meaningful roles in the development of the society. At a dedication ceremony, the Bishop of the Northern Diocese of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel MacLord Afriyie said the church throughout its existence have contributed immensely in partnering government in the provision of social services in the areas of health, education among several other sectors of the economy. He invited the people in the community to identify with the project by accepting to contribute their bit to ensure it delivers on the targets for which it was set up. The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo commended the Methodist Church of Ghana and its partners from the United States for the collaboration and efforts which have culminated in the construction of the school block which incidentally happens to be the very first senior high school in the Sakoti traditional area. He also commended the church and it partners for contributing immensely not only in the education sector but also drilling four boreholes for the Sakoti and Yagzore communities which has led to access to potable drinking water. Mr. Woyongo also commended the benefactors for executing a number of projects in various communities across the region such as the extension of electricity to the Bolgatanga Methodist Primary School and Junior High School, drilling of two boreholes for the Tambugu and Nagakenya. He also lauded the church by spreading its evangelism works with the construction of a chapel in the Nanjopuing community. He tasked the beneficiary community not only to ensure that the educational infrastructure is maintained but also use interventions such as the capitation grant, free school uniform for pupils in deprived communities and the school feeding programme wisely to enrol their children in school. The District Chief Executive for the area, Madam Vivian Anafo said the project has come in timely to augment efforts by the assembly in providing educational infrastructure in the area. She gave the assurance that the assembly will supply all the furniture needed for the smooth take off of the school. Rev. Micheal McIntyre of the Living Word United Methodist Church, U.S.A, urged members of the community to remain united stressing that with unity and corporation, the society will achieve a lot in terms of development. Mrs Mary Jackson, Project Coordinator and Consultant to the Methodist Church of Ghana said the church was elated to have completed the project, which was as a request from the paramount chief of Sakoti , Naba Sigri Bewong, was completed within two years. She encouraged parents to endeavour to send their children to school in order to guarantee a better future for their wards. Naba Sigri Bewong expressed appreciation to the donors and pledged the preparedness of the community to maintain the facility and also plant trees around it t o serve as windbreak during storms. The District Director of Education, Mr. Farra Joachim also commended Church for providing the facility which he said will go a long way to help sharpen the literacy and numeracy skills of the youth, improve and empower them with skills, and serve as a gateway to various careers by the youth who will have otherwise dropped out after Junior High School and resort to other negatives lifestyles including migration to urban areas in search from non-existing jobs. -End- August 16, 2012