Bulent Ozturk addressing the media
ARDA GRUP Ghana Limited, one of the largest construction companies from Turkey, has come to the rescue of the Breman Jamra Methodist Basic School in the Central Region where six pupils lost their lives and others injured recently following the collapse of the dilapidated Kindergarten block.
The company has pledged to reconstruct the collapsed 3-unit classroom KG block, as well as provide other facilities such as computer and science libraries for the school.
The reconstruction, which is expected to be completed within the next six months, forms part of the Arda Grup’s corporate social responsibility.
On Tuesday, a delegation from the company, led by its General Manager, Bulent Ozturk, visited the distressed school where it declared its intention of helping to rebuild the block.
The visit was facilitated by Richard Adjei Mensah Ofori Atta, President of Future Africa Foundation, a social development organisation.
Bulent Ozturk playing with pupils of the school
Speaking to journalists inside the collapsed school block where residents, traditional rulers and other pupils, who are still devastated about the demise of the six kids had converged, Mr. Ozturk said the company “felt very sorry about the news” of the death of the six pupils on that fateful day.
He indicated that the company might renovate the rest of the school blocks to prevent such tragedy from recurring.
Negligence
It would be recalled that six kindergarten pupils of the Breman Jamra Methodist KG School were reported dead on January 31, 2017 after their dilapidated classroom block collapsed on them.
The building collapsed when class was in session, killing four of the children on the spot.
The other two died when they were reportedly being transported to the Breman Esikuma Our Lady of Grace Hospital.
DAILY GUIDE gathered that the collapse of the building was as a result of sheer negligence on the part of authorities and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
This paper gathered that the school authorities had noticed a deep crack in the walls of the building about seven years ago but did absolutely nothing about it.
The assistant headmaster, Achenie Mensah Joseph, told journalists that after noticing that the KG block was having a crack, the authorities of the school contacted the PTA to find a solution to the problem.
He said after a meeting between the PTA and the school, it was agreed that the pupils needed to be transferred to an alternative structure while efforts were made to rebuild the damaged block.
However, he said nothing was done about the problem and the kids were allowed to continually study in the dilapidated building which eventually collapsed on them.
Head of Infrastructure at the Ministry of Education, Mawuli Segbefia, told journalists that the sector ministry had charged the Breman Jamra Assembly to provide an alternative structure for the school.
‘Danger Looms’
Even after the death of the six pupils, the JHS block at the school remains in a deplorable state, and yet pupils are learning inside it.
The assistant headmaster admitted that an urgent action needed to be taken to get them out of that block, but until then, their lives remain in danger, as they continue to learn in the dilapidated building.
By Melvin Tarlue