The Paramount Chief of the Busunu Traditional Area, Busunuwura, has renewed calls for accelerated development in Busunu following the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a model Girls STEM Senior High School by President John Dramani Mahama.
Addressing a gathering of government officials, traditional leaders, party executives, security agencies and residents, the Busunuwura described the occasion as one of the most significant moments in his reign, noting that the people of Busunu had waited for nearly two decades to have a Senior High School in the area.
According to him, the commencement of the Girls STEM SHS project represents the fulfilment of a long-standing dream of the people and a major step towards improving access to quality education in the traditional area.
The Chief expressed profound gratitude to President Mahama, whom he described as “a son of the land” through his maternal roots in Busunu, for responding positively to the community’s appeal for the project.
He disclosed that the school, when completed, would be named “Mma Nneba Girls STEM Senior High School” in honour of the President’s mother, whom he described as a hardworking, industrious and generous daughter of Busunu.
The Busunuwura noted that the STEM school has been designed as a modern educational facility equipped with all the necessary infrastructure to ensure effective teaching and learning, adding that the chiefs and people of Busunu are fully committed to supporting the successful execution of the project.
While commending the President for fulfilling his promise, the Paramount Chief urged the contractor handling the project to strictly adhere to timelines, specifications and quality standards to ensure value for money and durability.
He emphasized that the project is being funded from the nation’s common resources and appealed for swift execution to prevent delays and ensure timely payments.
Beyond the school project, the Busunuwura used the occasion to highlight several developmental needs of Busunu and appealed to government for further intervention.
He announced that the traditional area has made available a large parcel of land for the establishment of a Police Training School and appealed to government to take advantage of the offer for the intended purpose.
According to him, the chiefs and people of Busunu have also reserved additional lands within the Busunu Planning Scheme for future government projects at no cost.
The Paramount Chief further appealed for Busunu to be included in government’s “Big Push” infrastructure agenda, particularly for the construction of township roads and drains to address perennial flooding in the community.
He revealed that a comprehensive planning scheme has already been developed for Busunu, with surveyors having demarcated proposed roads to facilitate future development.
The Busunuwura also expressed appreciation to the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, the GETFund Administrator, the Savannah Regional Minister and the Municipal Chief Executive for West Gonja for their contributions towards making the STEM school project a reality.
He further thanked President Mahama for supporting the construction of the Busunu Multipurpose Community Centre, a community-driven project valued at more than GH¢4 million and funded through royalties from the traditional area.
The facility, he explained, includes a conference hall, library, ICT centre, office spaces, banking hall, stores and a dance floor, and is currently awaiting completion after roofing works.
The Busunuwura expressed hope that the President would commission the facility during the 2026 Busunu Homecoming celebration and formally invited him to attend the annual event in December.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Mahama recounted how the concept of STEM education was initiated during his previous administration after studies revealed challenges in the teaching and learning of science and mathematics subjects.
According to the President, the initial idea began with STEM vacation classes for girls before later being expanded to include boys and girls.
He explained that although plans were developed to permanently integrate STEM education into Ghana’s educational curriculum before his administration left office, implementation could not be completed at the time.
President Mahama noted that while subsequent efforts were made to implement STEM education, the approach largely benefited only a privileged few through selected STEM schools.
He stressed that his vision is to democratize STEM education across the country by ensuring that existing secondary schools are also equipped with STEM laboratories and facilities.
The President said the Busunu Girls STEM SHS would play a critical role in empowering young girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and expressed confidence that the school would produce future doctors, engineers, technicians, midwives and other professionals needed for national development.
He assured the people of Busunu of government’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities and improving infrastructure development across the country
Source: nkilgifm.com
