From Felix Baidoo
The United States of America branch of the Opoku Ware Old Students Association (Akatakyie USA), has handed over water receptacles to the staff and management of the Opoku Ware Senior High School at a ceremony in Kumasi.
The project which cost $25,000 was made up of a mechanized water system with two water reservoirs capable of storing 30,000 litres of water to ease the water challenges confronting the school.
Funding for the project christened “Sustainable water and sanitation project” was from members with support from the V/X200+ Year Group.
It would serve five houses, Sts. Mark, Luke, John, Andrew and Thomas which had been facing acute water problems.
As part of the project, the group also fixed the shower spouts in the bathrooms of the Houses and replaced the toilet seats.
Prof. Samuel Frimpong, President of the Akatakyie USA, lauded the staff and Management of the School for their role in the skills, knowledge and experiences gained during their school days.
He also eulogised the Catholic Church, Manhyia Palace, the Government and others through whose efforts the School continues to record tremendous academic and other feats.
He attributed the excellent education they had acquired to the outstanding leadership and quality education being offered by the School.
Prof. Frimpong appealed to the Board of Governors and the School Administration to develop a maintenance and repairs plan with budgets to chart a sustainable future for the School’s infrastructure and facilities.
He entreated the Students to take good care of the facilities for them to last to merit the purpose of their donation.
The President urged the school authorities to draw a five-year Strategic Plan for the school with vision and strategic initiatives, goals and action plans to achieve that vision for proper maintenance of the facilities.
He said the new strategic plan must also address enrollment capacity control and management since the current enrollment of about 3,000 students was not sustainable and new infrastructure and facilities should be provided to meet the current needs of the school.
The Headmaster of the School, Dr. Alexis Frimpong Nimoh, eulogized the Akatakyie USA for the support saying that the water project had lifted a great burden on the shoulders of the school authorities.
He pledged to ensure that the facilities would be maintained to merit the purpose of their donation.
