Nadowli (U/W), Dec. 5, GNA - MTN Ghana Foundation is supporting the Nadowli Assembly Women Advocacy Group (NAWAG) with GH¢42,362.49 for the=

implementation of the 'B' GREAT Project. The 'B' GREAT Project seeks to provide Teaching and Learning Materia= ls (TLMs) to basic schools, encourage parental interest in their children's education and increase school enrolment figures.

The project, which is in line with the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Millennium Development Goal Two, is also expected to h= elp to reduce teenage pregnancies and issues of child labour in its operation= al areas. Nana Adjei Perbi, Education Portfolio Advisor of the MTN Ghana Foundation, who presented the cheque to the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Cezar Kale on Thursday at Nadowli, said the support was part= of the Foundation's social responsibility initiatives, which focused on nationally-prioritized health and education projects. He said the MTN Ghana Foundation recognised education as the bedrock= of every development-oriented country and as a result the AED-MTN Basic Scho= ols' Project had so far demonstrated its practical commitment to improve education in the Northern sector. Nana Perbi said the Foundation had constructed ICT centres at Tolon in the Northern Region, Pwalugu in the Upper East and Hamile in the Upper We= st Region and distributed exercise books and insecticide treated nets to pup= ils in the Bolgatanga Municipal Schools.

Additionally, the Foundation would commission a 20 borehole Northern=

Water and Sanitation Project for 20 communities this December to provide services to about 20,000 residents in the Upper West Region. This, the Education Portfolio Advisor said was part of MTN's contribution towards improving sanitation and water supply. It was his hope that the MTN-NAWAG 'B' GREAT Project would be diligently executed to enable both teachers and pupils to enjoy an improv= ed leaning methodology and culture that would impact positively in their liv= es. Mr Cezar Kale after receiving the cheque thanked MTN for the wonderf= ul gesture, and appealed to NAWAG to judiciously manage the fund in a way th= at would not defeat its intended purpose.

The Deputy Regional Minister said the "Better Ghana Agenda" promised= by the government would soon become a reality with such kind of private sect= or support and appealed to others to emulate MTN. Mr Fabian Belieb, the Regional Director of Education, suggested to NAWAG to use part of the Funds to organise reading competitions to encour= age the students to cultivate the habit of reading. Mr Abu K. Kansangbata, Nadowli District Chief Executive, assured the=

management of MTN that he would personally supervise the implementation o= f the project to ensure value for money. 5 Dec. 10