Sovie-Konda (V/R), Jan. 25, GNA - Mr Joseph Z. Amenowode, the Volta Regional Minister, has said the government would provide permanent structures for all basic schools operating under trees. He said government was building and furnishing 165 school buildings for schools operating under trees, 250 permanent structures for kindergartens and would abolish the shift system in basic schools. Mr Amenowode said this at the inauguration of a model kindergarten at Sovie-Konda in the Kpando District.

It was funded by Mamaga Akosua I, Paramount Queen of SASADU (Saviefe, Alavanyo, Sovie and Akrofu) with support from Jurgen Hattebuhr, a German couple.

He said the development and provision of basic education facilities was a shared responsibility among the government, the community and development partners.

Mr Amenowode said the government would provide inputs that would ensure that such community self-help projects work effectively towards achieving national objectives. He said their allocations of 620,000 and 130,000 of free exercise books and school uniforms respectively had been received and their distribution would start on Monday.

Mr Francis Ganyaglo, Kpando District Chief Executive, said the district's action plan on basic education included the construction of five kindergartens and the supply of 500 mono desks. He called on both private and public institutions to assist the district and commended the generosity of the initiators and sponsors of the facility.

Mamaga Akosua, also known as Cornelia Wulfing, a German entrepreneur and development consultant, said her gesture was to supplement government's efforts towards building a strong foundation for child education. She pledged to expand the scope of her assistance within and beyond the SASADU areas towards ameliorating some problems in rural Ghana. Togbega Tsedze Atakora, Paramount Chief of Alavanyo Traditional Area, reminded the citizens of SASADU that the corporate development of the area "stares at them in the face" and they should refrain from over-reliance and dependence on development partners. Mr Axel Schultz, a German philanthropist, donated 2,000 Ghana cedis towards equipping the facility.