By Yunus S Saliu
As part of their Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) outreach activities, the Fifth ECOMIG Ghanaian Contingent (ECOMIG GHANCOY 5) Friday, 17th December, 2021 handed over a renovated and furnished Madrassa Ashar Sharif School to the management in Barra community. Also, the ECOMIG GHANCOY 5 donated some books and school materials to the Madrassa and Munyagen Basic Cycle School in Barra.
Since the inception of ECOMIG, successive Ghanaian contingents have undertaken projects targeted at enhancing the lives of deprived communities within the mission area. These projects helped boost the image of Ghanaian Contingents as they as ECOMIG whilst attending to the basic needs of the communities they serve.
As a long tradition for Ghanaian contingents on peacekeeping mission to undertake Civic-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) activities to positively impact on host countries in general and the citizenry in particular. Some of the activities included but not limited to donations of educational materials and relief items, provision of medical services as well as minor construction works.
Handing-over the renovated madrassa and presentation of the educational materials to the beneficiaries, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Awuni Officer Commanding ECOMIG GHANCOY 5, addressing the parents, teachers, oustass, students and community members reiterated that since their inception in The Gambia, Barra to be specific, “we identified some shortfalls in the educational sector that were similar to the challenges in the educational sector in Ghana; and therefore identified the needs of these schools in general and the pupils in particular, hence the need to help.”
As friends of the good people of Barra and its environs, he said the ECOMIG GHANCOY 5 setup a committee to identify suitable projects to be undertaken as part of their CIMIC activities and “the committee selected Madrassa Ashar Sharif School for renovation and donation of student desks for the pupils; who hitherto sat on long benches without tables to write on.”
He disclosed that it was observed that the school structure was in deplorable state making it inconvenient for effective learning to take place, as one could imagine the difficulties the pupils were going through in such situations.
The committee member, Lt Col Awuni explained, also visited Munyangen Basic Cycle School and interacted with both students and teachers and they observed that reading materials for students were limited and most students were sharing reading books during teaching hours.
“It is in this regard that the committee recommended the aforementioned schools for consideration which was subsequently approved,” Officer Commanding GHANCOY 5 explained.
Among their wishes, he said, is to undertake more and bigger CIMIC activities; they are a small unit with limited resources but “we therefore assure you of our continuous commitment to the quest for enhanced democracy and security in the North Bank Region and Gambia in General.”
Alfusainy Joof, VDC chairman Barra commended ECOMIG Ghanaian Contingent for their numerous assistants to the community.
He disclosed that since their arrival in Barra, North Bank Region, the CIMIC activities undertaken are remarkable.
Lamin Hydara, vice principal of the Munyagen Basic Cycle School thanked GHANCOY 5 for the unexpected donations which he said will help not just only the students but will boost the performance of the school.
Waka Jobe, Alkalo of Munyagen village, VDC chairman and president of the Mother’s Club all commended the GHANCOY 5 for the gesture while they used the opportunity to table some of their challenges in the village for future assistance.
Shortly after the donation at the Munyagen Basic Cycle School, the member of GHANCOY 5 was taken on a conducted tour of the school to see some of the dilapidated buildings especially the women community local bakery-led by president of the Mother’s Club, while GHANCOY 5 Officer Commanding promised of GHANCOY 5 assistance when there is funds.
