A staircase to be used by pupils of Our Lady of Assumption (OLA) R/C Basic Schools ‘1’ and ‘2’ at New Achimota in Accra has been blessed and commissioned by the Local Manager, Rev. Fr. Francisco Machado, MCCJ.
The Wednesday, January 28, 2026, commissioning ceremony was performed after the project was handed over to the School Management Committees of the two Schools by Mr. Patrick Banyonuu, Chairman of the Staircase Committee and the PTA Chairman for OLAS ‘1.
The staircase project, solely funded by the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of both OLAS ‘1’ and ‘2’, was purposely constructed to reduce congestion and pressure on the only staircase, which was too narrow to accommodate the huge population of the school, and to prevent any stampede.
The staircase project is made up of three floors and a basement with the following components: staircase, ten washrooms for use by both teachers and pupils of OLAS, a storeroom for storage, a basement with an office space, and a tank farm above the building to keep the water tanks.
Handing over the project, Mr. Banyonuu said, “This project is more than just a staircase structure – it is a dream come true after years of discussions.”
He noted that the project was put up “to help provide a bit of comfort and convenience to our children and teachers in the space where dreams are nurtured, minds are shaped, and futures are built.”
“We envision it serving our school community for generations to come,” he added.
He thanked parents, teachers, and stakeholders (Local Manager, SMC, and PTA) and all who contributed to this milestone, saying, “Your time, resources, and energy have turned this vision into reality.”
He added, “Let’s keep working together to provide the best for our children.”
To the pupils, he admonished them to use the staircase properly to learn, grow, and thrive, saying, “We’re proud of you and can’t wait to see what you achieve.”
Mr. Banyonuu entreated parents to continue their obligations to the School and PTA to enable the construction of a septic tank to make maximum use of the washroom and to take care of other needs of the school.
Blessing the project, Fr. Machado was extremely happy about the project and prayed that the pupils and teachers would make good use of the staircase and ensure its proper maintenance.
Madam Gloria Neequaye, Headteacher of OLAS ‘1’ and SMC Secretary of OLAS ‘1’, expressed appreciation to the stakeholders, especially parents, for financially supporting the school to see the completion of the staircase, which would be to the benefit of the pupils who usually get stranded using a single staircase.
Like Oliver Twist, she appealed for more support for the two Schools which are performing extremely well academically in the Ga Noth Municipality.
Present at the ceremony were Mr. Alex Teye, PTA Chairman of OLAS ‘2’; Mr. Damian Dieu Donne Avevor, PTA Vice Chairman of OLAS ‘1’ and PTA representative on OLAS ‘1’ SMC; Mr. Shelter Amrago, PTA Secretary of OLAS ‘1’; Madam Esther Mensah Otabil, PTA Secretary of OLAS ‘2’.
The Our Lady of Assumption Basic School (OLAS) was established on September 28, 1993, as a private school under the Catholic Church. It began with seven boys and twelve Girls in Primary 1.
Currently, the School is a fully functional Public Basic School, operating from Kindergarten to Junior High School level, divided into two Schools – OLAS 1 and OLAS 2, each with its respective headteachers, School Management Committees, and Parent-Teacher Associations.
Until 2008, the administration of the school was split into two departments: Primary and JHS. In the 2016/2017 academic year, the school went through another transition, and the school was divided into two: OLAS ‘1’ and OLAS ‘2’, making it two different schools on the same compound.
By Newswatchgh.com
