By Omar Bah
The Commander of the Ghanaian troops serving with Ecomig (GHANCO 5), Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Awuni, has expressed delight over the treatment his troops are receiving from Gambians since they arrived in Banjul five years ago.
Addressing a presentation ceremony at Munyagen Basic Cycle School where his troops donated school materials, Col Awuni said his troops continue to feel at home in The Gambia.
“We appreciate the hospitality and support given to us by the Gambian people since we arrived in 2017. We have never felt like foreigners since we arrived. It has been a true demonstration of friendship and we appreciate it,” Col Awuni said.
He assured Gambians that his troops will continue doing everything humanly possible to contribute to the democratisation of the country.
The troops donated educational materials to Munyagen Basic Cycle School, renovated Madrassa Ashar Sharif School building in Barra and provided them with furniture and educational materials.
Turning to the donation, Col Awuni said: “It has been a long tradition for Ghanaian contingents on peacekeeping missions 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. Since the inception of Ecomig, successive Ghanaian contingents have undertaken projects targeted at enhancing the lives of deprived communities within the mission area,” he said.
These projects, Col Awuni added, helped boost the image of Ghanaian contingents as well as Ecomig whilst attending to the basic needs of the communities.
“We have identified some shortfalls in the educational sector that were similar to the challenges in the educational sector in Ghana. We therefore identified with the needs of the schools in general and the pupils in particular; hence the need to help,” he said. He said a committee was set up to identify suitable projects to be undertaken as part of the troops’ interventions. The committee, he added, selected the Madrassa Ashar Sharif School for renovation and donation of student desks for the pupils who used to sit on long benches without tables to write on.
“It was also observed that the school structure was in a deplorable state making it inconvenient for effective learning to take place,” he added.
Munyagen
“GHANCOY 5 also donated educational materials to Munyagen Basic Cycle School after visiting the school to identify its challenges. It is our wish to undertake more and bigger CIMIC activities; however, we are a small unit with limited resources.
“We therefore assure you of our continuous commitment to the quest for enhanced democracy and security in NBR and Gambia in general. We believe that these projects will impact on the students as well as further deepen the Gambia and Ghana relationship,” he added.
The troops have also agreed to fund the rehabilitation of the Munyagen Basic Cycle Mother’s Club Bakery.
The alkalolu of the two villages and managements of the Barra-based Arabic and Munyagen Basic Cycle schools expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian troops for the support and assured them that the donated materials will be put into good use.
