The Energy Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has commended Tullow Ghana for its $10 million free infrastructure investment support for the government’s Free Senior High School policy.
The Energy Minister gave the commendation when he commissioned Tullow Ghana’s newly built 16–unit dormitory block for Nsein Senior High School, which is the first to be completed under Tullow’s $10 Million infrastructure support for the Free SHS policy.
Dr. Opoku-Prempeh, while commending Tullow Ghana for the 400-bed capacity dormitory block, said Tullow must also consider adopting Nsein Senior High, which is within its Western Regional operational area, and nurture it into a first-class secondary school.
“In the advent of value maximisation plan, we see Tulllow talk more about your investment in corporate social responsibility. I wish Tulllow can adopt Nsein Senior High School to make it a flagship secondary school. Meaning, Tullow should not only make it a point to complete the other infrastructure projects, but also have its name embedded in the STEM and TVET agenda of Tullow so much that products out of Nsein will really feel the impact of Tullow,” he said.
The Energy Minister also said Tullow Ghana’s STEM/TVET agenda it is pursuing is in line with the government’s local content aspirations, will yield a win-win benefit to both government and Tullow’s value maximisation plan.
“Ghana is very keen and interested in local content and localization, and we believe that local content and localization will ensure that Ghanaians are equipped with the relevant skills to be able to fully participate in the industry. There will be support from the government of Ghana, as far as the accelerated oil and gas capacity building programme is concerned. You have adopted skills development and STEM education support for basic schools through secondary school, and if this STEM/TVET agenda is pursued, Tullow will discover incredible talents who will contribute to the value maximisation plan, so we can progress together,” he added.
The Corporate Affairs Director of Tullow Ghana, Cynthia Lumor, said the handing over of the 16-unit new dormitory block is part of Tullow Ghana’s 2018 promise to deliver free infrastructure projects for the realisation of quality free SHS education across the country under its value maximisation plan.
“At Tullow, we believe that solid education is the foundation for development; high-quality education at the basic level provides the needed foundation for children to succeed further along the educational value chain. It is for this reason that the development of education in Ghana has been central to Tullow’s socio-economic investments efforts since we began operations in 2007.”
“It will remain a focus of our shared prosperity initiative as we implement a 10-year value maximisation plan under which we will invest over $4 billion dollars in infrastructure and investment in Ghana, for which we estimate the people of Ghana will reap over $10 billion in value. Today, we realise part of the commitment we made to support Free SHS policy with the newly completed 400-capacity dormitory block. This will increase access to Free SHS, and I’m happy that this school contains both males and females,” she said.
Madam Lumor also announced that two other projects have been completed, with procurement processes also underway for the remaining twelve projects.
“Tullow Ghana has realised a part of that commitment, as the first batch of school infrastructure projects has been completed at three of the 15 schools selected to benefit from our Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy support programme. The three schools, Nsein Senior High School near Axim, Sankor Senior High School near Dixcove, both in the Western Region and Nsutaman Senior High School near Mampong in the Ashanti Region, all have newly constructed accommodation blocks that will house over 500 students each per year.”
“There are 12 more projects to be completed, and significant progress has already been made, with procurement processes advanced for the construction of a 12-unit classroom block for Bonzo Kaku SHS at Awiebo, a one-unit dormitory block for Annor Adjaye SHS in the Jomoro Municipality, and a one-unit dormitory block for Kikam Technical Institute, in the Ellembelle District. We hope to complete the six classroom blocks and nine dormitory blocks for the FSHS policy,” she added.
The Headmaster of Nsein Secondary School, John Mochia, while thanking Tullow for the immense relief, said the 16-unit dormitory block has brought to the school, also appealed for support for the rehabilitation of its empty science laboratories as well as a 14-year incomplete project behind the new block.
