Agogo citizens in US & UK donate to university

Agogo (Ash), Aug 15, GNA - Members of the Asante Akyem Agogo Citizens Resident Associations in Washington and New York and in the United Kingdom have donated a total 60 million cedis to the Agogo campus of the Presbyterian University College (PUC) towards the provision of infrastructure for the Health and Medical Science faculty.

The donation followed an appeal made by the Omanhene of the Agogo Traditional Area, Nana Akuoko Sarpong and the Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, when they visited the association in Washington in 2003.

Presenting the amount at a ceremony at Agogo on Monday the chairman of the association in Washington, Mr Samuel Anyang-Kusi, said all members of the association in the US were willing to contribute to the establishment of the Health and Medical Science faculty of the university situated in the town.

He commended Nana Sarpong and members of the local implementation committee of the PUC for their contributions and sacrifices towards the project and assured that the branches would continue to mobilize adequate funds from the members of the association to support the University.

Receiving the amount the Principal of the PUC, Professor Kofi Sraku-Lartey, thanked the associations for the assistance and said the PUC established its first campus at Abetifi in November 2003 with the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Business Administration programmes.

He said the university decided to set up two other campuses at Akropong Akwapim for the humanities and social science while the Health and Medical Science Faculty located at Agogo, all in the rural area, to enhance rural development.

Prof Sraku-Lartey said the Agogo Faculty would be based at the Presbyterian Hospital and the Nursing Training College for the medicine, nursing and optometry programmes.

He commended the traditional council, citizens from the area and the Presbyterian Church for the provision of an administrative block and library, a computer room, lecture room and demonstration rooms for the faculty.

He appealed for funds to buy computers, provide Internet facilities, furniture for the office, books and rehabilitate structures for the early take-off of the faculty. Nana Akuoko Sarpong said the traditional council had donated an 800-million-cedi building to the faculty to be used as an administrative block while the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, donated 100 million cedis and promised to donate additional 400 million cedis within the next four years to support the faculty. He thanked the association for the donation and urged other citizens both home and abroad to emulate the association's example and contribute towards the establishment of the faculty.