The St Anthony of Padua Catholic Basic School in the Effia Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) of the Western Region has won eighth edition of the Western Region Independence Day Inter-District JHS Quiz Competition, which was held last Thursday in Bogoso, capital of the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality, to commemorate the region's 66th Independence Day Celebration.

The competition, which featured fourteen (14) basic schools representing their respective Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, saw EKMA emerge as the 2023 champions, defeating the defending champions Shama Aboadzie VRA International School and their close competitors Goldfield International School from Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal with 43 points.

Tarkwa Goldfields International School came second with 39 points, followed by Peace International School from Half Assini in the Jomoro Municipal, which came in third with 38 points, and Aboadzie VRA International School from the Shama District, which came in fourth with 36 points.

The Christ Leading School from the Ellembelle District finished fifth with 36 points, while the host school Nana Amoako Basic School from the Prestea Huni Valley Municipal finished sixth with 28 points and St Augustinus School from Axim in the Nzema East Municipal finished seventh with 21 points.

The 2023 champions, St Anthony Padua Catholic School representing EKMA, received two brand new Lenovo laptops, one for the GES directorate and the other for the GES basic school coordinator's office, a trophy, tablets for the tree contestants, textbooks, plaques, gold medals, and certificates, and the first runner up, Tarkwa Goldfields International School, received two brand new Lenovo laptops, one for the school and the other for the GES basic school coordinator's office.

Peace International School, representing the Jomoro Municipality, received two Lenovo laptops, one for the school and one for the GES office to be used by the basic school coordinator, bronze medals, text books, tablets for the contestants, plaques, and certificates, with the fourth to fourteenth positions all receiving text books, plaques, and certificates.

The Special Guest of Honour, the Acting Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr. Stephen Kwaku Owusu whose speech was read on his behalf, commended Nananom of the Western Region for promoting such a commendable initiative and urged the service's continued partnership. He advocated for more inclusive participation in the planning and organisation of future quiz events.

Mr. Abdel-Razak Yakubu, the leader of the Goldfields Ghana Ltd delegation and headline sponsors of the 2023 event, spoke about his company's ongoing commitment to supporting education in the region, which has been one of their hallmarks since the inspection of Goldfields operations in Ghana.
Despite the difficulties encountered during this year's event, he expressed hope that plans will be developed to streamline arrangements in order to improve future events, and he congratulated Nananom and all participating schools on a successful event.

"Goldfields will continue to support activities that promote quality and healthy educational competitions, particularly among districts in the region."

HRM Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, Paramount Chief of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area and Patron of the Planning and Organising Committee, lauded and thanked this year's quiz competition sponsors, Goldfields Ghana ltd as headline sponsors, Ghana Gas Company ltd, Takoradi International Company (TICO-TAQA), Adamus Mining Resources, AEL Mining, Engineers and Planners, Westfield, Samarthex Timber and Plywood Company Ltd for assisting the region's traditional leadership in heralding such an innovative programme primarily to promote education and healthy competition among the region's fourteen Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) through a quiz competition that has become an annual festival on the GES calendar.

He urged everyone, especially students, to instill the habit of selflessness and commitment to nation building in all of their endeavours, as well as to take their studies seriously in order to be useful to society.

The Wassa Amenfi paramount urged more corporate organisations operating in the region to consider contributing to the programme, which has been running for the past eight years in a row, as the traditional leadership through the regional house of chiefs will support companies committed to such worthy course in the region.

In his speech, HRM Obrempong Hima Dekyi IXV, the Executive Chairman of the Organising and Planning Committee and the Paramount Chief of Upper Dixcove Traditional Area, congratulated all participating schools representing the fourteen MMDAs and the regional Ghana Education Directorate (GES) for their commitment and partnership over the years.

He also thanked BCM Ghana, Seedco Construction, Bensat Company Ltd, Prestea Huni Valley Offices, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Amenfi West, Nzema East, Ahanta West, Effia Kwesimtsim, and Ellembelle Municipal District Assemblies for their collaboration and support.

He also expressed gratitude to the offices of Ellembelle, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Prestea Huni Valley, and Evalue Ajomoro Gwira Members of Parliament for their contributions to the program's success.

Mr. Alexander Mensah Hagan, General Manager of Adamus Resource Ltd, expressed delight at his company's involvement with the quiz programme, which aims to bring together basic schools from fourteen districts across the western region to compete for a common goal.

He reiterated Adamus' commitment to supporting the region's traditional leadership in promoting education, as well as urging students to focus on their studies and avoid engaging in activities that would jeopardise their future opportunities.

Dr. Isaac Dasmani, MCE for Prestea Huni Valley Municipal, reiterated the government's ongoing commitment to providing and improving quality education for the benefit of all.

He also praised the competitors for their zeal and commitment, particularly to contributing to the knowledge base through the competition.

Nana Akwasi Sompreh II, Divisional Chief of Bogoso and co-chair of the programme, for his part, thanked and commended Nananom for hosting such an innovative event in Bogoso and urged that his doors be opened for consultations to help strengthen the programme ahead of future endeavours.

Mr. Francois Van Niekerk, Financial Director of AEL Mining Services, emphasised the importance of his company's focus on education and expressed his excitement to support the 2023 eighth edition of the quiz programme, which was held in his company's operational area. He urged the students to take their education seriously in order to achieve their future goals.