Bugubelle to Gain Modern Classroom Facilities from GPMS Initiative

Bugubelle: The Bugubelle community in the Sissala East Municipality is set to benefit from a major educational infrastructure project as Ghana Petroleum Mooring Systems (GPMS) has announced plans to construct a modern classroom block with ancillary facilities for the area. According to Ghana News Agency, the project forms part of GPMS's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative and aims to address the severe infrastructure challenges facing schools in the community. This effort is also intended to reduce the growing trend of youth migration to Southern Ghana for menial jobs and illegal mining. Mr. Godwin Duncan Alikor, the General Manager of GPMS, stated that the decision to undertake the project in Bugubelle followed a needs assessment conducted by the company. Although the project was initially considered for his home region in the Volta Region, the assessment revealed that Bugubelle had more urgent educational needs. "The report from my team showed that Bugubelle needed this classroom block more. The MP was smart enough to know when to act by lobbying key stakeholders to get this project," Mr. Alikor mentioned. The project will be executed in two phases, starting with the construction of a nine-unit classroom block to accommodate primary and Junior High School pupils. This phase is expected to be completed within five months after work begins on site. A second nine-unit block will follow based on the successful completion of the first phase. Furthermore, following a request from the Ghana Education Service (GES), an additional room will be included to support B-STEM (Basic Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities and accommodate science equipment currently in storage. Mr. Issah Mohammed Bataglia, the Member of Parliament for Sissala East, expressed appreciation to the management of GPMS for the intervention. He noted that many young people in Bugubelle leave the community in search of better opportunities, with some ending up in illegal mining activities or returning with healt h issues. "This project is an intervention to turn the fortunes of our youth. By providing a conducive learning environment, we are giving them a reason to stay and build their futures here," the MP said.