First Lady Lordina Mahama says the implementation of the progressive free education programme and the construction of the new community day senior high schools, would open more opportunities for children in the society.

She said these efforts would help the children to climb up the academic ladder and become responsible citizens for the nation.

“All these interventions are aimed at ensuring that education is not only accessible, but that the content is relevant and the quality is good”, Mrs Mahama said at Jakpa in the Chereponi District of the Northern Region, where she commissioned a dining hall for the Jakpa Roman Catholic Primary School.

The new dining facility is to help support the Jakpa School Feeding Programme and to provide the pupils a more befitting place to enjoy their nutritious food.

The Lordina Foundation facilitated the construction of the dining hall facility as part of its effort to complement government efforts of providing infrastructure while the Savannah Cement Company funded the 100 sitting capacity of the facility.

“This facility is to provide a convenient place for the preparation of food, as well as, a place where you, my children can comfortably sit to have your meals”, Mrs Mahama said.

She said the construction of the dining hall and kitchen, was important “because we must continue to create a conducive environment, for our young ones to learn and grow”.

Over the last few years, the Lordina Foundation has been in the Northern Region, to extend support to health facilities in deprived communities and orphanages.

Mrs Mahama said education is a key instrument for social progress and a ladder that could bring success to those who diligently climb it adding that, this was the main reason why Government continues to invest heavily in the sector.

She said Ghana has also made much progress under the millennium development goals and has virtually achieved gender parity and universal primary enrolment.

The First Lady said a major factor in encouraging many parents to send their children to school, was the school feeding programme that commenced in 2005.

She said the programme was initiated to help reduce hunger and malnutrition, increase school enrollment, retention and attendance and to boost local food production.

She said the school-feeding programme, which covered 441,189 children in 2008, has currently been expanded to cover over 1.7 million children.

“It is supporting many parents, particularly in deprived communities, to provide one meal a day for their wards and it is important that these meals are served in a safe and hygienic environment” she said.

She called on parents to encourage their children to take advantage of the interventions Government was implementing for the development of their wards.

“Parents, traditional leaders and indeed the whole community, must take a keen interest in what goes on in their various schools, and let the education of your children be the number one priority. Children, I encourage you to use the opportunity you have now to learn and come out with flying colours, so that your parents and the government would be proud of your achievement” she said.

Feme Jaminja Malbo Gomno II, Paramount Chief of Chereponi, who welcomed the First Lady at his Palace after the commissioning of the facility, thanked government for the various development projects carried out in the area.

He said besides electricity supply, water and the construction of CHPS compounds, he was particularly happy that the President has named the Chereponi-Japka road at part of road works earmarked to be constructed in the Northern Region soon.

He, however, appealed to government to provide the needed logistics to the Chereponi Government Hospital to enable officials provide a holistic care for the people.

Feme Gomno pledged his support to ensure peaceful elections, while calling on all other traditional rulers to do same.

On the First Lady’s entourage was Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Abdallah Abubakari and other members of the National Democratic Congress.

In a related development, the First Lady has visited the Tamale Children’s Home and the Anfaani Children’s Home, all in Tamale to donate various items to children of the two homes.

Both Homes have been adopted by the First Lady.