The St. Mary’s Technical Institute, Adeemmra, in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, located in the Eastern Region of Ghana, recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary at the school premises.
The week-long celebration was on the theme “Holistic Catholic Education: Educating the Ghanaian Girl For Entrepreneurial Mind & Skills For Economic Emancipation”.
As part of the celebration was an Anniversary Grand Durbar, which brought several dignitaries from within and beyond the borders of Afram Plains. They include the Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, Very Rev. Fr. Leopold Amevi Etchiodo Ettuh, who doubles as the Chancellor of the Vicariate and the Chaplain of the school, Very Rev. Fr. Bernard Adjei-Appiah, SVD, the Cathedral Administrator of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, Sr. Mary Lamisi Adomolga, SSpS, who represented the Mother Superior of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Spirit, Ghana, Sr. Elizabeth Biga, SSpS, the Principal of the St. Mary’s Technical Institute, and scores of Priests and Religious, scores of pastors from other Christian sects.
Also present were Mr. Daniel Yaw Domelevo, a former Auditor General of the Republic of Ghana, and who was the Chairman of the occasion, Mrs. Dansoa Evelyn Boateng, Eastern Regional TVET Director, who was the Guest Speaker of the occasion, Mad. Victoria Atsufui Yawa Barku, the District Director of Education of Kwahu Afram Plains North, together with her deputies and staff, Mr. Samuel Asare Akuamoah, National Commission of Civic Education (NCCE) Deputy National Chairman of Operations, Hon. Worlase Kpeli Esq, the Member of Parliament for Kwahu Afram Plains North, and Supt. Andreas Kordzo Mifetu, District Police Commander of Kwahu Afram Plains North.
Others in attendance were Nana Saka Gyamfi II, Chief of Adeemmra together with his entourage, Nana Akoamoah Boateng Tanoh II, Chief of Atakora with his entourage, Nana Otukwa Mpareko VI, the chief of Asabi at Amankwakrom, who doubles as the President of the Amankwakrom Council of Chiefs, and other scores of chiefs from within Afram Plains, Headmasters and staff from some second cycle institutions, Hon. Assembly men and women, a team from the Ghana Fire Service, Donkorkrom, who trained the school cadets and provided their uniforms, and other scores of dignitaries, groups and individuals from all walks of life.
The Chairman, Mr. Daniel Yaw Domelevo, in his opening and closing remarks, acknowledged his humble beginning from Adeemmra, an unpopular town in the region and the country at large. But with hard work and commitment, he and others from a deprived area such as Afram Plains have made it in life.
Therefore, he encouraged the students and everybody not to look down upon themselves. They can make it in life. He recounted certain difficulties they had to endure to rise to such positions in life.
He indicated that achievement in life comes with a lot of sacrifices, hence the students must learn to sacrifice now in order to enjoy in the future. He acknowledged the fact that good things can come from Afram Plains.
He therefore called on all and sundry, especially indigenes who have made it in life, to come and give back to their roots. He also entreated the gathering to contribute their quota to the development of Afram Plains.
He continued to pledge his support to the development of the school, especially the anniversary project (which is a multi-purpose Assembly Hall with about 2000 seating capacity) and Afram Plains in general.
He thanked everybody who had contributed in diverse ways to the growth and development of the school, especially the current leadership.
In his goodwill message, Hon. Worlase Kpeli Esq, the Member of Parliament for Kwahu Afram Plains North, pledged his unflinching support to the growth and development of Afram Plains. He thanked the people for allowing him to serve them.
He indicated his readiness to serve at all times and to serve with faithfulness and dedication.
He called on all parents to promote unity in their various communities, saying that without unity, Afram Plains cannot develop.
He called on development partners and the elite to respect the local people. The development of every area, he says, depends so much on the local people. He, therefore, entreated the local people in Afram Plains to strive hard to develop the area. Help won’t come from anywhere if they don’t make the effort themselves.
As a proud son of Afram Plains, he indicated to the students not to be discouraged because of their geographical location, but to strive hard for greater achievements in life.
The lawmaker pointed out that skill education stays forever, hence the students should cherish and hold fast to what they have and where they are. The notion that skill education is for the unintelligent in society is unfounded and must be debunked at all times. He called on the students to be obedient, disciplined, and hard-working.
He re-emphasised the fact that one can make it in life, irrespective of an individual’s humble beginning.
The District Director of Education of Kwahu Afram Plains North, on her part, commended the school for a well-organized anniversary and their achievements thus far. She encouraged the students and all those who have benefited from Afram Plains and the school in particular to come back and help develop the area.
She called on all development partners and individuals to come and open industries and companies to create more jobs in the area. She used the opportunity to appeal to the government to work on the ferry to ease transportation in the area, especially the Agordeke -Kpando Torkor by the Volta Lake.
The consistently bad state of the ferry makes transportation on that side of the area very frustrating. She indicated that for about two years now, the ferry hasn’t been in a good state, hence the need for urgent attention.
Other activities included a talk, a clean-up exercise, games and health screening, a float and Akwaaba night, a gospel rock show, an exchange of gifts, a thanksgiving service, and a dinner night. Additionally, during the Anniversary Durbar there were parade by the school cadets and school band, fundraising and donations from groups and individuals in aid of the Anniversary Project, Goodwill messages, choreography and cultural performances, presentation of awards to staff and students, fashion show/ modelling, inspection of exhibition items, and a presentation of cash to the school by the Old Students Association.
By Rev. Fr. Matthew Akakpo (AVD-DEPSOCOM)
