Reverend Eastwood Anaba Refurbishes Alma Mater in Bolgatanga

Bolgatanga: Reverend Eastwood Anaba, the President of the Eastwood Anaba Ministries (EAM), has refurbished the Abilba Number One Junior High School (JHS) in the Bolgatanga Municipality to enhance academic work. The renowned preacher attended the school, formerly referred to as Abilba Middle School from 1970 to 1974, and took up the initiative to renovate his alma mater to improve quality education.According to Ghana News Agency, the move followed an appeal by Pastor Mrs. Matilda Kunsike, the Headmistress of the school, when the Vice President of the EAM, Reverend Mrs. Rosemond Anaba, visited the school to present teaching and learning materials, including furniture and footballs to management. Prior to the renovation, the school, established over 60 years ago, had not undergone any major renovation works and was in a deplorable state with a leaking roof, visible cracks on walls and floors, broken doors and windows, among other structural defects.The EAM repaired the weak and cracked walls and floors, repl aced the broken doors and windows, fixed ceiling fans, painted the entire school block, and provided 120 metallic student desks at a cost of GHS220,810.00. Reverend Anaba, in a speech read on his behalf at a ceremony to hand over the refurbished structure, noted that the school stood the test of time, shaped countless minds, and nurtured generations of leaders, thinkers, and change makers.He told the pupils that the renovated building was more than just a structure, saying, 'It is a symbol of hope, excellence, and the belief that your dreams matter. May you walk these halls with pride, knowing that you stand on the shoulders of those who came before you and that you too, can achieve greatness'. 'To our teachers and staff, your tireless efforts in shaping young minds now have an enhanced space to flourish. May this renewed environment inspire even greater dedication to nurturing the leaders of tomorrow,' he added.Reverend Anaba further reminded stakeholders at the program that education was the foundation of progress, and that unity was the key to sustaining the progress of education in the Region. Mr. Timothy Naasal, the Acting Bolgatanga Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), in a message delivered on his behalf, acknowledged that government alone could not shoulder the responsibility of providing quality education in the Municipality. 'If we go back to our alma mater, like Reverend Eastwood has done, it means that many public schools will be uplifted and the quality of education in our Municipality will be promoted. It is a call on us to all come together and support,' he said.The Headmistress, who is also an Associate Pastor at the Stars of Heaven Ministries in Bolgatanga, thanked Reverend Anaba for the gesture and indicated that the renovation would prevent unscrupulous people who hitherto invaded the facility to smoke and defecate. According to Pastor Mrs. Kunsike, owing to the EAM's support, student enrollment soared from 19 to 107, and the school won two trophies during the inter-sc hools sports competition through training with the donated footballs by the Ministries and jerseys by the Abilba family.'I would like to thank our father, Reverend Eastwood Anaba, and his wife Mama Rosemond Anaba, and the entire EAM for their commitment to education in Abilba No. 1 JHS and the Municipality,' the Headmistress said.