GREL CONSTRUCTS CLASSROOM BLOCK FOR KEDADWEN (PAGE 23, JAN 10)

THE Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) has constructed a two-classroom block and a store valued at GH¢25,220 for the Kedadwen Kindergarten in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipality in the Western Region.
The block is a great relief to the young pupils who have been studying under a big mango tree and always been at the mercy of the vagaries of the weather.
The company is constructing a similar building at Apemenim Number One in the Ahanta Traditional Area. Already, it has completed a three-unit classroom block for the Subri Primary School in the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, a junior high school (JHS) at Anibil in the Gwira Traditional Area and a primary school block at Onzeaye in the Nsein Traditional Area, all at a total cost of GH¢126,000.
At a ceremony to hand over the building to the chiefs and people of Kedadwen, the Managing Director of GREL, Mr Marc Genot, said the construction of the classroom blocks for the communities showed the company’s commitment to education.
He said the company had this year instituted a scholarship scheme for the children of its employees and that seven students had benefited from it to pursue senior high school education.
He said the company had also increased the number of scholarships for brilliant, needy students in its catchment area from seven to 14 a year under the Association of Chiefs on whose Lands GREL Operates (ACLANGO) and the GREL Scholarship Scheme.
“The children should work hard because we are helping children who are working very hard,” he said.
“Now rubber prices have fallen considerably and that will have an impact on our social responsibility programmes next year,” he explained, adding, “But we remain committed to our goal of promoting education in our operational area and we shall be able to accommodate some few projects next year.”
Mr Genot appealed to all communities which had encroached on GREL concession either through illegal mining activities or farming to stop their activities and live peacefully with the company.
He advised the chiefs and people of Kedadwen to take good care of the school block so that generations yet unborn would benefit from it.
The Chief of Kedadwen, Nana Ankamoah II, appealed to the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly to construct a JHS for the town to save the children from trekking a distance of about three kilometres to attend the nearby JHS at Asamang.
He lamented that sometimes some of the children were involved in accidents when trekking to school.