Bamenda

NW Governor cutting the Ribbon

NW Governor inaugurates classrooms donated by SHUMAS & Partners
By Njodzefe Nestor
The Governor of the North West region Adolf Lele L’Afrique on Saturday, Jan 20 inaugurated 4 modern classrooms in Government Technical College, GTC Ntigi in Tubah sub division and 3 classrooms in Government Technical College GTC Nkeung in Bamenda III sub division of the North West Region constructed by the Strategic Humanitarian Services, SHUMAS and its partner Building Schools for Africa, UK. 
    In GTC Ntigi just like in GTC Nkeung, the students and the community came out in their numbers to receive the gift which was accompanied by modern toilets with hand washing facilities, benches, cutlasses, and hoes amongst others. In addition to this SHUMAS also provided GTC Nkeung with potable water.
Governor Adolf Lele L’Afrique was accompanied at the ceremony by a cream of North West administration and traditional authorities likewise the Technical Adviser Number One to the Minister of Secondary Education, Mme Agbor Bessong Helene.
    Receiving the gifts on behalf of the community in GTC Ntigi, the Mayor of Tubah Council, Tanjong Frederick appreciated the partnership between SHUMAS and his council saying that that SHUMAS has over the years proven to be a reliable friend worthy of immortalization.

    This was reiterated by the Principal of GTC Ntigi, Achengang Emmanuel who said SHUMAS’ timely intervention was a stitch in time to salvage the 3 year old school from the pangs of poor infrastructure.
    “Since creation we have been benefitting from the benevolence of some inhabitants who had offered their rooms and kitchens as classrooms. We want to thank SHUMAS for hearing our cry in the wilderness”. He added.
    Taking the queue Governor Adolf  Lele L’Afrique commended SHUMAS for their efforts in sustainable development not only in the domain of education where they have built and equipped hundreds of schools all over the national triangle but also in areas of health, water supply, women empowerment and environmental protection.
    He noted that thanks to the liberal policies of the Cameroon government under the leadership of President Paul Biya, public-private partnerships for development such as that between SHUMAS and the Ministry of Secondary Education has seen the light of day.
    While urging the students of the two schools to jealously guard the classrooms for posterity, he exalted other Non Governmental Organization, NGOs and North West citizens to emulate the genuine example that SHUMAS was setting in their efforts to support Cameroon sail to the save shores of emergence come 2035.
    Though urging SHUMAS not to relent their efforts in what they begun so well, Governor Adolf Lele L’Afrique advocated that they look into the plight of schools in Furu-Awa where he said during his socio-economic tour he discovered lack of school infrastructure.
    Addressing the beneficiaries and those present at the highly attended ceremonies, the Director of SHUMAS, Nformi Ndzerem Stephen Njodzeka first and foremost thanked the Cameroon government for granting SHUMAS the authorization to function while revealing that thanks to their efforts at development that cuts across all spheres of life, they have been granted a special consultative status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council, ECOSOC.
    He noted that SHUMAS has eight axes of intervention amongst which are health, water and sanitation, social welfare, women’s empowerment education etc.
     As regards education which was the focus of the day, Nformi Ndzerem Stephen said their programs are implemented indiscriminately to benefit all communities and denominations.
“We construct classrooms in Catholic, Moslem and Baptist schools among others but we give more priority to government schools because they are more accessible and affordable to the poor” he added.
    Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of the classrooms and the portable water, the Principal of GTC Nkeung lauded SHUMAS not only in provisions but for also involving the students from inception to its completion.
    “The clusters have been molded and built by GTC Nkeung students and some of them even participated from the foundation level” she noted with satisfaction expressing hopes that with SHUMAS on their side GTC Nkeung will be able to emerge even before 2035.
    It is worth noting that SHUMAS has constructed and rehabilitated more than 700 classrooms equipped with chairs as well as toilets. About 35 schools have engaged in SHUMAS’ school Environmental Project aimed at inculcating values of environmental management and protection in students and pupils with more than 600 children haven been sponsored by the SHUMAS scholarship scheme.