Ashanti GBA Saves Garden City Special School

Ashanti GBA Saves Garden City Special School

The authorities of the Garden City Special School, an institution for the intellectually disabled, located at Asokore Mampong near Kumasi, were full of joy over two weekends, when members of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) presented assorted items worth over GH¢10,000, and an undisclosed amount of money towards the running of the school and the upkeep of the pupils.

The school management was not only happy about the presentation of the items, which has been described as the biggest ever in recent times, but also because the items came at a time the school's food stock was completely exhausted.

The Headmistress of the school, Dr. Roselyn Adjepong, told the GBA delegation during the presentation, that but for the intervention of the association, the authorities of the school would have found it difficult to feed the inmates or manage some basic needs of the school.

She, however, indicated that the donation by the GBA was enough to last them the whole term and beyond.

Dr. Adjepong lamented that for some time now, the subventions given by the government for the management of the school had not been forthcoming, despite the fact that it had been reduced from GH¢4.00 per student to GH¢2.20 since 2009.

According to her, their suppliers, who used to give them items on credit, are no longer doing so, because of the huge debt owed them, and warned that until the government acted swiftly, the authorities would soon be compelled to close the school.

The donation by the GBA formed part of the association's corporate social responsibility, originally meant to coincide with this year's Fathers' Day Celebration, but had to be shifted forward due to circumstances.

The items donated by the GBA included 20 bags of rice, 20 bags of Gari, 17 boxes of assorted drinks, cooking oils, toiletries, beans, and an undisclosed sum of money, amongst others.

The Ashanti Regional President of the GBA, Lawyer Yaw Boafo, noted that it was the responsibility of all civil society groups and philanthropists to support the upkeep of the vulnerable and marginalised in society.

He noted with regret that funds meant for taking care of the inmates and maintenance of the school were not forthcoming, and used the opportunity to appeal to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to, as a matter of priority, disburse funds to the management to ensure wellbeing of the inmates.

The GBA delegation comprised the Vice Chairman, Lawyer Francis Coffie, Lawyer Amankwaah Ohene Gyan, Kwame Adom Appiah, and Nana Yaw Osei, former Regional Chairman of the GJA.