McDan Foundation to the rescue of dilapidated Yendi school block

Rhema International School sounds exotic but the school building paints a contrary picture.

It is a dilapidated makeshift structure with no windows, no doors, no electricity, no decent furniture, no decent toilet facilities and a scruffy looking wall that serves as a board for teachers to write on.

Pupils from Class One to six have been sharing the structure, which has three classrooms, for years.

The school building, as it stands now, is definitely not safe or fit or conducive for learning activities.

This structure is at the heart of the Yendi township in the Northern Region, but help has arrived.

The McDan Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has cut the sod to construct a GH¢680,000 six-unit classroom block for the school. An office for teaching staff and a library will also be provided under the project.

Six hundred pupils are expected to benefit from the project, which will result in the school being renamed the Gbewaa Naa International School.

Construction work on the project has begun in earnest.

Sod Cutting

The Executive Chairman of McDan Group and McDan Foundation, Dr Daniel McKorley, who is also the Gugba Naa of Tamale, paid a three-day visit to the Northern Region on November 15, 2019 to cut the sod for the school block.

He was also in Yendi to celebrate the historic Damba festival with the chiefs and people of the Northern Region.

The Overlord of the Dagbon Traditional Area, Yaa-Naa Mahama Abukari II, joined Dr McKorley to cut the sod to pave the way for the commencement of the project, which is billed to be completed within 90 days.

The sod-cutting ceremony was witnessed by enthusiastic schoolchildren amidst drumming and dancing.

The Yaa -Naa could not hide his joy when he copiously thanked the McDan Foundation for the huge investment in education for the youth of Dagbon.

He was full of praise for Dr McKorley for fulfilling his promise, which he said would eventually provide pupils with modern educational facilities to improve teaching and learning.

Determination

Dr McKorley reiterated the determination of the McDan Foundation to work with the government to remove more schools from operating under trees.

He stated that “quality education includes children having access to modern facilities such as a modern school building. Education is of strategic importance to every nation and it is critical we all support the government by contributing our quota to empower more children, especially those in deprived communities, to acquire relevant knowledge and skills set for national development.”

He encouraged the youth to take their education seriously as the future was bright for people with the right attitude and skills set.

He assured the Yaa-Naa of his resolve to complete the entire building project within 90 days.

Dr McKorley also encouraged the school authorities to co-operate with the contractor for a successful completion of the project.

The Headmaster of the School, Mr Adam Muhammad Awal, thanked Dr McKorley and his foundation for the kind gesture.

Also present during the sod-cutting ceremony were Dr McKorley’s wife, Ms Roberta Huppenbauer; sub chiefs of Dagbon, an aspiring Parliamentary Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the Yendi Constituency, Mr Farouk Aliu Mahama; the Chief Operations Officer of the McDan Group, Mr Richard Torku; the Head of the McDan Foundation, Mr Frank Oduro; an officer of the McDan Foundation, Mr Kelvin Atuguba, and the District Director of Education, Alhaji Alhassan Mustapha.

 A 3D perspective of the new school 

Courtesy Call

Prior to the sod-cutting ceremony, Dr McKorley paid a courtesy call on Yaa-Naa Abukari II at the Gbewaa Palace.

In his welcome address, the Yaa-Naa thanked Dr McKorley and McDan Foundation for the honour done to Dagbon by supporting the Damba festival with cash and assorted gifts and prayed for Allah to bless and prosper the business of the McDan Group.

The Yaa -Naa also presented a cattle and tubers of yam to the Gugba Naa as royal gifts.

The Gugba Naa thanked the Yaa-Naa for the warm reception and gifts and pledged his continuous support for the chiefs and people of Dagbon.

He told the Yaa-Naa of his plans to invest in agribusiness in the north to create more jobs for the youth and to reduce rural poverty significantly.

Dr McKorley and his entourage also paid a courtesy call on the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed, at his office. During the visit, Mr Saaed expressed his excitement and appreciation to Dr McKorley and the McDan Foundation for the numerous social intervention programmes being undertaken for the benefit of the people, especially underprivileged communities.

He said “such interventions, particularly in the areas of education and health, complement the government’s efforts to bring development to the people.”

The Regional Minister also informed Dr McKorley of on-going plans of the chiefs in the region to honour him for his tremendous investment and goodwill to the north.

In his brief response, Dr McKorley expressed his desire to contribute his widow’s mite to the total development of the Northern Region.

He further urged the chiefs and people to be united in order to benefit from the peace process initiated by the government, adding that “without peace, there cannot be any sustainable development.

It is important that we all come together to consolidate the peace we are all enjoying.”

He assured the Mr Saeed of his determination to strategically invest heavily in agribusiness to create wealth and jobs, particularly for the youth in the region.

He stated that “plans are far advanced to build large warehouses across the region, invest millions of cedis in shea nut, cashew nuts, soya beans, maize farming, as well as animal husbandry, to create jobs for the youth and develop the economy.”

Mion La Na

Dr McKorley also paid a courtesy call on the Mion Lana, Abdulai Mahamadu, in his royal palace. There he and his entourage were warmly received and thanked for donating cash and assorted gifts worth GH¢50,000 towards the celebration of the 2019 Damba Festival.

Dr McKorley expressed gratitude to the Mion Lana for the bond of friendship that existed between him and the McDan Foundation and promised to bring more investments to Mion to help create jobs for the people.

He also encouraged the people to embrace peace for sustainable development.

McDan Foundation

The McDan Foundation (MDF) is a registered NGO established by Dr McKorley, Chairman of the McDan Group of Companies, to provide humanitarian support for needy communities and persons by focusing on sports, health and education.

The foundation also supports youth entrepreneurship development through the McDan Challenge by providing funding and mentorship.

Its vision is to positively transform lives and restore hope for the vulnerable across Ghana and Africa.

It has so far invested more than $5 million into various charitable projects within its core areas of operations.