Accra West Marshallans donate to Weija schools

The Accra West Regional Council and Court of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall (KLM)have donated 17 boxes of text books and other reading materials to four schools at Weija in the Ga South municipality.

The about 500 books, which were in Mathematics, Science, social studies subject areas, were presented to the St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic basic school, Oblogo Municipal Assembly (MA) Basic 3 School,  Oblogo MA 1 Basic School, and St. Peters Basic School.

The Regional Grand Knight of Accra West Regional Council, Worthy Brother Peter Wireko, presented the items to the Headmistress of St Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Basic School, Mrs Monica Obu-Cann, at a short ceremony held at the premises of the school last Wednesday.

Social responsibility

Worthy Brother Wereko explained that the donation done in collaboration with Marshall Relieve and Development Services (MAREDES), the charity and social responsibility wing of the Catholic Church.

As part of their social responsibility initiative, the group started a project dubbed “the book project,” which was aimed at supporting deprived schools with text books and other reading materials. 

With the support of “Books for Africa,” a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in the United States, the group took delivery of 22,000 books, valued at GH¢1 million in April, 2016.

The books have since been distributed to 27 basic schools in six regions including Greater Accra, Western, Central, Northern, Upper West, and Upper West regions, to bridge the text book gap and also to improve reading habits.

As part of the distribution process, Accra West Region of KLM was given 17 boxes for redistribution to deprived and needy schools in the area.

Worthy Brother Wereko urged the authorities of the school to take proper care of the books so that as many generations of pupils as possible would benefit from the donation.

Eschew negative attitudes

The Regional Noble Lady of Accra West Region, Respected Lady sister Doris Ama Bramson, urged the pupils to eschew negative attitudes such as sexual misconduct, drug use, and truancy, since those attitudes could ruin their future.

She asked them to be driven by the fear of God and to always respect their teachers.

Timely donation

For her part, Mrs Obu-Cann lauded the effort by the group and said the donation was timely.

“The school has no text books and other reading materials. This donation will be like blood to us. We need it, so we will do everything possible to protect the books,” she said.

She cited poor drainage system, encroachment on the school lands by community members, and invasion of the school premises by cattle, as some of the challenges the school faced.