Bessfa Rural Bank completes projects in 4 northern communities

As part of activities to commemorate its 40th-anniversary celebration, the Bessfa Rural Bank Limited has inaugurated five projects in four communities in the Upper East and North-East regions.

The projects worth over GH¢400,000 cover areas such as security, education, health and water and sanitation.

The projects are a three-unit classroom block for the Tankpasi Methodist Primary School, refurbishment and retooling of the physics laboratory at the Tempane Senior High School and the provision of a mechanised borehole for the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) station at Pusiga, all in the Upper East Region.

The rest are the renovation of an existing structure to be converted into a station for the National Ambulance Service and GNFS stations at Nankpanduri, as well as the provision of a borehole for the Kpemale community, also at Nakpanduri in the North-East Region.

Challenge

The absence of a water facility within the premises of the GNFS at Pusiga over the years compelled the officers to travel a far distance to the Nakong dam to draw water into the fire tender to respond to fire outbreaks.

Additionally, the disturbing situation at the community-initiated Tankpasi Primary School compelled the 200 school pupils to sit on the bare ground to study under trees due to the absence of infrastructure.

Also, although it had been approved by the management of the GNFS and the National Ambulance Service to operate at Nankpanduri, the absence of offices prevented them from operating in the area.

Social responsibility

Speaking in an interview after the inauguration of the projects last week Thursday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank, Alhaji Hayatudeen Awudu Ibrahim, said the management decided to undertake such projects as part of its corporate social responsibility to benefit many people in its operational areas.

He said that providing a mechanised borehole to the GNFS at Pusiga was meant to address the challenge of the unavailability of water to respond to emergency fire outbreaks, adding that “The provision of the water will enable them to quickly respond to fire incidents in the area.”

He added that the renovation of the existing facility at Nankpanduri was to enable the GNFS and the ambulance service to be stationed in the town to provide such critical services to the people.

He stressed that the situation at the Tankpasi Primary School was also a disturbing one which informed the bank’s decision to complete a community-initiated classroom block to provide a congenial learning environment for the pupils.

He said, “As a bank, we are of a firm belief that our intervention will go a long way to improve teaching and learning in the school, as well as encourage the government to absorb the school into the public education system.”

Maintenance

The Board Chairman of the bank, Cletus Azaabi, underscored the need for the beneficiaries of the projects to institute proper maintenance plans that would enable them to religiously maintain the facilities to stand the test of time.

He indicated that it would be unacceptable for the facilities to deteriorate after a few years of usage, noting “As a bank, we have invested a lot of money in the projects and we expect the beneficiaries to be responsible for their maintenance.”

He charged the community members to establish a committee that would mobilise financial resources locally to fund the regular maintenance of the borehole and classroom block.

Gratitude

The Assistant Divisional Officer One (ADO1) Jonathan Ayariga, said the absence of water at the station was a huge challenge as they had to move out to a source of water anytime they needed water.

Therefore, he expressed gratitude to the bank for taking a bold step to tackle one of the challenges confronting the station and added that the intervention had come at the opportune time.

The chief of Tanpkasi, on behalf of the people, also lauded the bank for the gesture saying it would put smiles on the faces of the pupils as well as encourage them to be regular in school.

The District Chief Executive for Pusiga, Zubeiru Abdulai, commended the bank for its contributions towards the development of the district. 

Writer’s email: gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh