The Western Regional Minister, Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, claims that the region is getting its fair share of national development and transformative initiatives that are reshaping local communities.
The foundation for the region’s economic prosperity, he claimed, is being laid by the government’s unwavering commitment to social interventions, economic empowerment, and infrastructure projects. New initiatives are also being launched to further this goal.
When he spoke during the 67th Independence Day parade in Sekondi, he was providing updates on the situation in the area.
The day was celebrated on the theme: “Our Democracy Our Pride”.
Mr Darko-Mensah asserted that the government had carried out some initiatives that had benefited every area of the regional economy.
Speaking about education, he said that since 2017, the government has increased the number of classroom blocks, dining halls, dorms, libraries, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres in all of the region’s schools.
He said: “Notable are the 300-capacity girl’s dormitory block for Huni Valley Senior High School (SHS) funded by Goldfields Foundation, and 400 capacity girl’s dormitory block at Annor Adjaye SHS funded by Tullow Ghana.
“There is an ongoing boys dormitory block for Takoradi SHS and girls dormitory block for Methodist SHS, and boys and girls dormitory at Bompeh Secondary Technical School all funded by Tullow Ghana”
The Regional Minister, however, indicated that there were several uncompleted school projects which the government had put measures in place to complete by the end of this year.
In terms of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education, Mr Darko-Mensah noted that the Western Region had benefitted from programmes, where STEM centres had been built in Fijai SHS and Ghana Secondary Technical School.
He said plans were advanced to resource the centres with computers, smart boards and other necessary equipment to facilitate the STEM programme in the Region.
On the Free SHS, he indicated that the policy increased SHS enrolment from 57, 596 in 2017 to a cumulative figure of 467, 905 in 2023.
The Western Regional Minister said despite the increase in enrolment, the implementation of the Free SHS/ Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) had also improved the quality of education, and that, the government was determined to strengthen the programme to benefit more students.
Touching on local economic development, Mr Darko-Mensah noted that the region had made significant strides in achieving more with regard to the government’s flagship One District One-Factory (1D1F) policy, saying it was progressively generating income for the people.
