President John Dramani Mahama on Monday called on stakeholders to lend their support to the government to eliminate the pre-school teacher deficit the country is experiencing.

He said although the country needs a total of 14,000 pre-school teachers to prepare children adequately for lessons, only 287 are available.

President Mahama made the call when the leadership of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) called on him at the Flagstaff House, Kanda.

The leaders were at the Presidency to share some development plans with the president, and to invite him for the climax of the church’s 125th Anniversary celebration on December 7.

President Mahama commended the SDA Church for its tremendous interventions in schools, water and sanitation and health projects through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency.

He said apart from the spiritual upliftment of the people, the SDA church is also engrossed in development projects that are enhancing the socio-economic infrastructural development of the country.

On health, President Mahama said Ghana is liaising with counterparts in West Africa to step up the use of larvicide to stem the incidence of malaria.

President Mahama appealed to the church and other stakeholders to support the government to make the project possible.

Pastor Samuel Adama Larmie, President of the SDA Union Conference of Ghana said the church has 600 basic schools, 12 senior high schools, Valley View University College and three level nursing training colleges throughout the country.

Apart from that, he said the church had also established 21 hospitals and clinics throughout the country.