Second Cycle Students from the Upper East Region have made an appeal to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority(SADA) Secretariat to consider setting up an educational fund to cater for needy students in the area.

The students made the appeal when the Director of SADA in charge of integrated programmes, Dr Emmanuel Abeere-Inga, interacted with them in Bolgatanga on the opportunities existing under SADA.

The platform was created by the Northern Patriots in Advocacy and Research (NORPRA), who during vacations organise extra classes for the students with sponsorship from IBIS Ghana.

According to the students, one of the major tools that can be used to unlock poverty in the three northern regions was education and that since SADA was aimed at bridging the poverty gap between the north and south, it should consider education as key and establish an educational fund.

They explained that majority of parents from the area cannot afford to take good care of their wards up to the tertiary level because of the endemic poverty in the regions.

The students also called on SADA to consider supporting sports and entertainment since the area lacked modern facilities, stressing that, if the youth are supported, it would help unearth talents and even determine their future careers.

Responding to their concerns, Dr Emmanuel Abeere-Inga assured them that he would inform the management of SADA of their need.

He said a lot of opportunities abound under the SADA projects and urged them to avail themselves of it.

He cited for example SADA’s training programmes for the youth in building technology adopted from South Africa where communities are assisted to build such houses using local materials and a little cement.

In addition the SADA from next year would bring on board tertiary students on National Service to be trained in various trades and Business Management, after which they would be supported to form partnerships and establish their own businesses instead of relying on government for employment.

The President of NORPRA, Mr Bismark Ayorogo Adongo, said he was impressed with the level of participation by the students and their demands on SADA.

He said NORPRA, as part of its contribution to the programme, through sponsorship from IBIS Ghana, has been organizing extra classes for students in the Region and this, he indicated, had helped improve the performance and results of many students.