The Rotary Club of Accra-Dzorwulu has presented 206 lifejackets to over 1,000 students of five island schools along the Volta Lake at Ada in the Greater Accra Region, as part of its 10th anniversary celebration.
The jackets are to help safeguard and mitigate the challenge of river drowning as they commute daily to school across the lake. The beneficiary schools are Pediatorkope Primary and Junior High School, Tuanikope Primary and Junior High School, Alokpem Primary and Junior High School, Aflive Primary School and Azizankpe Primary School.
The President of the club, Beatrice Baiden, who presented the lifejackets to the Ada East District Education Service at Pediatorkope D/A Primary School on the island, noted that as Rotarians, they believed that there was no need to wait until life was lost before people intervened or acted to help the students.
“We do understand the daunting task you face each day to cross the lake to school and back without the much-needed safety vests. Indeed, the fear, anxiety and desperation which you young learners endure each day amazes me. It calls into question the measures in place to ensure that the life of each child here is protected.
“As Rotarians, with our partner sponsors, Escort Security and Klos & Hauls Limited, who are people of action, we believe that these lifejackets will go a long way to bring relief and peace of mind to these children, as they focus on their studies,” she said.
The District Director of the National Commission on Civic Education, Ada East, Faustina Blewusi aka Mama Megbenya ll, expressed appreciation to the club and called on parents of the students to educate their children about the importance of using the jackets correctly and consistently.
“Impress upon them the value of safety and the significance of taking care of these life-saving devices. Your guidance at home will reinforce the messages they receive at school, and ensure that safety becomes a habit,” she said.
The GES Director of Education at Ada East, Ferguson Akey, expressed appreciation for the gesture and noted that the provision of the lifejackets was a significant step towards ensuring the safety of the students.
The Ada East NADMO Director, Ebenezer Teye Nartey, added that issues of lifejackets were critical in Ada and its environs and pledged the organisation’s readiness to collaborate with the schools to ensure that the lifejackets were put into proper use.
The presentation was in commemoration of the Rotary Club of Accra-Dzorwulu’s 10th anniversary.