The Chiefs and people of the Santrokofi Traditional Area used their end-of-year celebrations to solicit funds for the continuation of an Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) facility and an accommodation project that began in 2017 at Benua in the Guan District of the Oti Region.  

At a durbar dubbed “Santrokofi-Benua Homecoming 2024”, the Chairman of the Santrokofi Benua Development Association, Nana Opoku Mintah, announced that out of the estimated GH¢300,000 required for the projects, GH¢200,000 had been raised.

Speaking at the event, Nana Mintah mentioned the importance of the projects in addressing the educational needs of the children and reversing the decline in educational standards within the community. He explained, “The ICT facility will be well furnished with computers and a library, while the accommodation project is intended for teachers posted to the town.”  

He noted that teachers posted to the area often faced accommodation challenges, forcing them to commute long distances daily. “Since the world has now become a global village, there is the need to equip the youth with ICT skills to prepare them for the job market,” he added.  

The Nifahene of the area, Nana Sarku Brempong V, commended citizens in the diaspora for their contributions to developmental projects, such as the re-roofing of the Evangelical Presbyterian Primary School block, which was damaged earlier this year. 

He expressed gratitude that the Guan Constituency was no longer an orphan constituency, following the election of a Member of Parliament to represent their interests in Parliament.  

Nana Sarku Brempong V noted that the projects initially spearheaded by the youth had now been embraced by the entire citizenry to ensure swift fundraising for their completion. He announced, “This event will now be an annual affair for the generation of funds to meet various developmental needs.”  

The President of the Youth Development Association, William Adjei, urged the elders to consider the aspirations of the youth when deciding to abolish traditional customs and practices in the area.

Mr Adjei highlighted the abolition of wake-keeping, a practice that once provided a platform for storytelling and passing on historical beliefs to the youth. He lamented, “These historical beliefs are now gradually being lost.”