Mr John-Peter Amewu, Member of Parliament (MP) of Hohoe and Minister of Railway Development, has commissioned and handed over a newly built 6-unit classroom block of the Fodome Helu R/C Junior High School (JHS) to the community.
The classroom block has a library, a staff common room, a s,tore and an office for the headmaster.
Mr Amewu addressing chiefs and people of Fodome during the ceremony noted that the progress of the Fodome Traditional Area was dear to the Paramount Chief and urged its people to rally behind and always support their leader.
He said he was commissioning the block as he promised and had delivered on his promise to the people of the Area.
Mr Amewu asked the students to take their studies seriously and excel in their academic activities to enable them become useful citizens to their communities adding that plans had been advanced to connect electricity to the newly commissioned structure.
The MP said he was committed to fulfilling his promise to support women who were in various forms of trade to enable them to improve their standard of living.
The school, put up in 1948 by the missionaries and the entire Fodome community was formerly known as Fodome Helu R/C Middle School and had since not seen any renovation.
Mr Emmanuel Kwaku Alormey, Headmaster of the School noted that the filling of the base of the building was done using plantain suckers, wood, grass, and anything that could be used due to pressure from the missionaries.
He said, as a result, the foundation of the building began sinking as it developed deep cracks in the foundation and visibly seen deep cracks on all parts of the building itself.
The Headmaster said the pillars that supported the building also had deep cracks that made the whole building very weak and became a serious death trap for both teachers and pupils.
He noted that they had for 10 years, appealed to various organisations and individuals to assist with the renovation but no response was given, and expressed gratitude to the Minister.
Mr Alormey appealed to Mr Amewu to provide mono desks for JHS 3 and dual desks for JHS 1 and 2 classes, desktop computers, projectors, and street lights on the compound to drive away the criminals.
Mr Daniel Noble Yao Awumey, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), noted that education was a factor that led to the progress of communities.
He appealed to parents and teachers to instil discipline in the students while admonishing the students to take their studies seriously.
The MCE pledged to work with the MP to build more of such classroom blocks across the Municipality.
Togbe Agbefle, Asafofiaga of the Fodome Traditional Area, in an address read on his behalf by Mr Francis Yao Amu, noted that he was elated by the commissioning of the classroom block to facilitate teaching and learning.
He said the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) marked the former classroom block as unsafe for students and teachers which necessitated the move to start the project of building a new block through one Mr Castro Dela Ahorsu, an indigene.
The Asafofiaga expressed gratitude to Mr Amewu for his immense contributions towards the start and completion of the project as well as the contractor for a good work done.
He commended the chiefs, community members, teachers, and students for their various help offered towards the success of the project while hoping that teachers would ensure discipline among the students to enable BECE results of the school to improve.
Togbe Agbefle appealed to the Municipal Education Directorate to assist the community to provide computers for the school.
Mr Kwame Amenyo of the Hab Amenyo Company Limited, the construction firm for the project, commended the chiefs and people of Fodome for their support towards the success of the project.
Source: GNA