Kindergarten pupils in Banaho will no longer make the risky trek to Nsuta and Obuoho for early childhood education after a new two-unit classroom block was commissioned in the community on Monday.
The facility, funded by the Mineral Development Fund, comes with ancillary facilities and staff quarters, which brings to an end a year of concern among parents who have been worried about their children’s safety on long, often impassable routes, especially during the rainy season.
The Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni Valley, Mr Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, said the project signals a shift toward ensuring that resource-producing communities see tangible development.
“The days when communities produced wealth without seeing development in return should be left behind,” he said.
Mr Cudjoe commended the Municipal Assembly for completing a project started under the previous administration, saying continuity is essential for sustainable progress.
He pledged to support the school further with playing materials and donated 600 exercise books, 140 pencils, erasers, and sharpeners to the pupils. He also urged parents to channel resources into education rather than costly funeral expenses.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Matthew Ayeh, said the inclusion of staff quarters would make it easier to post and retain teachers in Banaho.
He also announced plans to install a network booster to improve communication while broader efforts to secure telecom services are ongoing.
Traditional leaders welcomed the project and its potential impact. Odikro of Banaho, Nana Atta, thanked the former MCE, Mr Isaac Dasmani, for initiating the project and praised the current assembly for completing it.
He appreciated the residents for giving free labour during the construction period.
Chairman for the event, Nana Kofi Baah, used the platform to call for better roads linking the community, saying poor access remains a major obstacle and urged parents to ensure all school-age children enrol now that the facility is in place.
Bala Ali & Matilda Asante, ISD
