Winneba (C/R), Sept. 20, GNA - A 50,000 Ghana Cedis Education Trust Fund to cater for brilliant but needy children in the Effutu Traditional Area was launched in Winneba at the weekend with a call on the people to contribute immensely towards the Fund. Named after Mr. Mike Hammah, Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for the Area, the Trust Fund would be manned by a 13-member Board of Directors under the chairmanship of Alhaji Labaran, an opinion leader in Winneba.

Speaking at the function, Mr Hammah said education is key to the development of every country, hence the reason for government's continuous heavy investment in that sector. He said his vision is in line with the NDC government's vision to ensure that every Ghanaian child irrespective of his or her background becomes literate to be able to contribute effectively to the society. The Minister said it was his dream to establish the Trust Fund to help make education possible for brilliant but needy children in the municipality and therefore thanked God that his dream had come true. He therefore appealed to citizens of Effutu Municipality and all stakeholders in education to contribute to the fund to enable it to achieve its aims and objectives.

Mr Nii Ephraim, Effutu Municipal Chief Executive and a member of the Board of Directors of the Fund, said education helps in poverty alleviation, and called on the people of Effutu to invest in their children's education. He also urged them to embrace the ideals of the Fund.

Professor Kolawole Raheem of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and Vice chairman of the Board, gave the assurance that the Board would be fair in dealing with applicants. Over 20,000 Ghana Cedis including pledges and Cheque was realized in a fund-raising after the formal launching, which was jointly performed by Mr Ephraim and Alhaji Labaran. 20 Sept. 09