Ohawu Agricultural College supported with furniture

The Ghana Incentive-based Risk Sharing for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL) project has handed over 100 sets of tables and chairs worth GH¢100,000 to support teaching and learning at the Ohawu Agricultural College, Abor in the Volta Region.   

The donation forms part of GIRSAL’s commitment to enhance human resource development in the agricultural sector, to boost productivity and promote sustainable economic development.

The Chief Operating Officer of the non-banking financial institution focused on de-risking agricultural financing, Samuel Yeboah, led a delegation to hand over the furniture to the school last Thursday, as part of their corporate social responsibility.

The donation to the only diploma-awarding agricultural college in charge of training mid-level professionals in the Volta Region is the latest in a series of initiatives commemorating GIRSAL’s 5th anniversary celebration. 

Rationale

Mr Yeboah explained that the donation was to create a conducive learning environment for the Ohawu Agricultural College, which has since 1964 been training mid-level professionals for the sector but currently had much of its furniture in a dilapidated state.

He highlighted the importance of making agriculture attractive to the youth by removing the drudgery associated with the sector and noted that human capital development was crucial for stimulating progress in the sector; hence, the need to support institutions offering competency-based training.

“With this donation, we believe that some of the challenges the school is encountering with regard to its learning will be ameliorated to enhance learning activities on campus through a comfortable environment for students.

“We believe that this contribution will give you the needed support as an institution to do your work and train more human resources for mother Ghana,” the Chief Operating Officer of GIRSAL said.

Mr Yeboah further commended the college for the immense contribution it had given to the country’s agricultural sector and called on other corporate institutions to support the college to improve the learning outcomes of students.

Two alumni of the college, now working at GIRSAL — Senior Agribusiness Manager, Shaibu Mustapha and Senior Manager for Environmental Social Safeguard, Kofi Sekyi-Bondzie, shared insights with students, encouraging them to take every phase of their studies seriously to succeed in the evolving agricultural landscape.

Gratitude

The Principal of Ohawu Agricultural College, Ernest Abiew, expressed gratitude to GIRSAL for the generous donation. 

“These desks will directly contribute to the comfort and productivity of our students, empowering them to focus more on their studies and ultimately improve agriculture in Ghana.

He added that GIRSAL’s mission of catalysing increased agricultural lending and providing support for agribusinesses aligned with the school’s goal of shaping the next generation of agricultural professionals.

The donation, Mr Abiew said, would not only enhance the school’s resources but also strengthen the two institutions’ shared mission to advance agriculture for the benefit of the country.

He further urged the students to take good care of the furniture by ensuring its maintenance for future use.