The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has honoured his pledge by beginning the construction of a six-unit classroom block for Uthman Bin Affan Islamic Senior High School (UBAISH) at Kamgbunli in Ellembelle District of the Western Region, to improve access to education.

The sod-cutting ceremony was done on the Vice President's behalf by the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh which was assisted by the NPP Western Regional Chairman, Mr. Francis Ndede Siah and, NPP Western Regional Nasara Coordinator.

The six-unit classroom block will be constructed by DRC construction limited and funded and supervised by the Ministry of Inner-City and Zongo Development.

The construction works begin immediately and it is expected to be completed and handed over within six months.

The gesture is in fulfillment of a promise the Vice President made towards the expansion of the school's Infrastructure at Kamgbunli Mosque on Saturday, 18th May 2019, when he a special visit as part of his 'Nationwide Ramadan Tour.

Uthman Bin Affan SHS is the only Islamic secondary school in the Western Region but the school is facing so many infrastructural challenges and it is believed this new construction will help to minimize the menace.

The school was established in 2008 through a community help spirit spearheaded by Sheikh Mozu with 28 students and has a current population of 800 for forms one, two and three.

Speaking at a ground-breaking ceremony amidst Coronavirus pandemic, the DCE Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh reminded that the Vice President came to the Community on a Ramadan Tour and the Chiefs appealed to him to address the Infrastructural challenges facing the school.

He added that the Vice President promised to help the school by building a six-unit classroom block for the school, adding "today we are here to cut the sod for commencement of the project on behalf of His Excellency Vice President Bawumia".

"His Excellency Dr. Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, he came to Kamgbunli here on a Ramadan Tour a year now and when he came the Chiefs and people of this Community appealed to him to help them to upgrade their only Islamic SHS which is also the only Islamic SHS in Western Region and North Region", he stated.

"In fact you can see that the school is in deplorable state and needs support and we also appealed to the Vice President to help the school and he made a promise to help and this is one of the steps the Vice President through the Zongo Ministry has taken and today we have cut sod for the project to construct a six-unit classroom block and within six months they have to complete it so that the school children can use it", he emphasized.

He concluded that, "the Contractor is called DRC construction limited is here, he is starting the work today and complete it on November 8, 2020".

The Chief of Kamgbunli, Nana Odikro Abeka Musah thanked Vice President Bawumia for the kind gesture.

He also thanked President Akufo-Addo and NPP government for not thinking that Kamgbunli is not an NPP stronghold in Ellembelle District but bringing such a laudable project.

"We thank our Vice President for not forgetting us for fulfilling his pledge and in fact we thought he had forgotten his promise not knowing he is coming to do it", he said.

He added, "We thank President Akufo-Addo and NPP for not thinking that Kamgbunli is not an NPP stronghold but they have brought the project here, we thank God".

He, therefore charged the contractor to complete the project on time and pledged his total commitment to support the contractor to finish it on schedule as expected.

"We will by all means support you to construct the project for our school on time, the chief assured.

On his part, the Ellembelle District Director of Education, Mr. Peter Blay Ackah Kwasi called on the contractor to avoid any shoddy work and do quality work.

He urged the community and the school management to support the contractor to complete the project on schedule.

He, therefore, reiterated and cautioned the community not to engage in stealing of the materials for the construction and added that any person found culpable would be dealt with.

He promised his total readiness to monitor the execution of the project to meet the duration.

The NPP Western Regional Chairman Mr Francis Ndede Siah appealed to the Chiefs and people of the area to rally behind the Akufo-Addo-led government to develop the area.

He stated that the Akufo-Addo-led government has shown to Ghanaians that they think about the Zongos hence the establishment of the Zongo Development Authority.

He said apart from this project being constructed here, four other Districts in the region are being benefited from school Infrastructure.

The contractor seized the opportunity to assured the community and government that the project would be completed on schedule.

He also appealed to the community to give them the needed support to finish the project within the six months period.