(1) Ho, March 30, GNA - The Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council (VRCC) is to lend its support to community initiated education funds in the Region as supplements to the Volta Education Endowment Fund established by the Council.

(2) Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister, gave the assurance when he launched the Asogli Education Trust Fund at the Asogli 2005 Easter Congress in Ho on Monday.

(3) "I pledge my personal support and that of the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council in whatever way possible for the Fund", Mr Dzamesi said.

(4) The theme for the Asogli Fund was "Expanding Educational Opportunities for Asogli People and Voltarians".

(5) Mr Dzamesi said: "Whilst we pursue our community agenda as individuals and communities, we should also think of and work for the common good of the Region as a whole."

(6) That, he said required collaboration, unity of purpose and collective action because "we are all related, interdependent and have a common destiny as a people of the Volta Region".

(7) In his address, Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asogli said the Fund was meant to facilitate the attainment of the "Education for All" (EFA) targets set by the Dakar World Education Forum in April 2000, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the UN in September 2000", in the Volta Region.

(8) He observed that only eight out of 10 children of school going age in the Asogli traditional area could go to school and a lesser number were able to make it the Senior Secondary School every year mainly on account of lack of financial support.

(9) "In many cases, children have to engage in income-generating activities in order to pay their way through school", he said.

(10) Nana Adusei Atwenana Ampem I, Tepahene who represented the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, urged the people of the Volta Region to support Togbe Afede's initiative because of the vast educational opportunities it would offer to many brainy children in the Region.

(11) Nana Ampem, who presented a cheque for a hundred million cedis on behalf of the Asantehene to the Fund, said, "before we fought each other but today's battle is on the educational front and we have to arm our children with education".

(12) He said without education children would become armed robbers and give sleepless nights to everybody.

(13) A total of 481,890,000 (million) cedis in cash and pledges was realised at the launching.

(14) Present at the lunching were Togbi Agbesi Awusu II, Awadada of Anlo, Nana Soglo Alo IV, Likpehene and Togbi Mawufeame Fuga, Ewe Chief in Ashanti.

(15) Meanwhile 89 million cedis out of 200 million cedis pledged at last year's Easter Congress has been redeemed according to Mr David Bansah, Chairman of the Fund-raising Committee.