Vagla launches Education Trust Fund
The Vagla Youth Association (VAYA) has launched an Education Endowment Fund to cater for the education needs of brilliant but needy students from the Vagla, Safalba, Nome and Chorba ethnic groups in the Northern Region.
Dubbed the “Vagla Education Trust Fund”, it is expected to cater for brilliant but needy students from the Senior High School (SHS) to the tertiary level.
Speaking during the launching ceremony at Tuna in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Northern Region, Mrs. Fati Bodua Seidu, the National President of VAYA, said the fund would also offer logistical support to basic and second cycle schools within the VAYA communities, as spelt out by the Association’s constitution.
She said, additionally, the fund would offer support for non-formal education activities as a way of promoting functional literacy among adults within the catchment area.
Mrs. Seidu explained that for one to qualify to benefit from the fund, either the mother or the father or both parents, should belong to one of the member ethnic groups of the Association.
The VAYA National President called on all sons and daughters of the area to contribute to the fund to enable their needy, but brilliant brothers and sisters, to access the fund to complete their education.
Mr. Bede Ziedeng, Northern Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf by the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Chief Executive (DCE), Alhaji Isaac Mumuni Dramani, noted with deep sense of satisfaction that VAYA was one of the most progressive Associations in the region which had the welfare of its members and the generality of Ghanaians at heart.
He said it was extremely important that youth groups or associations, normally endowed with energy and exuberance, were accorded the respect and space in the governance of their areas and country, as being demonstrated by President John Dramani Mahama and his government.
In this regard, the Regional Minister appealed to District Assemblies in the area to endeavour to contact the association for its contribution concerning matters of development.
Mr. Ziedeng cautioned however that government had not lost sight of the fact that some youth groups or associations have become unjustifiably rallying grounds for the fomenting of troubles or violence in the country.
He, therefore, appealed to VAYA not to allow any of such elements to divide their ranks, and cause troubles that would prevent the Association from realizing its noble objectives.
Mr. Ziedeng announced that as part of the upgrading schools infrastructure, government had awarded contracts for the construction of a 12-storey classroom block and a 2-storey dormitory block for the Tuna SHS, at the cost of GH₵576,986.21 and GH₵930,184.64 respectively.
Mr. Timothy Kipo, a member of the Association’s Council of Elders said the major achievements of the Association were in the areas of peace, education and functional literacy promotion.
Source: GNA