Yamfo College of Health urgently needs staff accommodation

The College of Health - Yamfo is in dire need of residential and office accommodation for staff and lecture halls for students.

These infrastructural challenges have created doubt about the possibility of the institution's admission of students in the 2016/2017 academic year.

Mr Evans K. Danso, the Director of the College said at the maiden matriculation ceremony of the institution on the theme: 'Quality Health Training: A Tool for a Country's Health and Well-Being' at Yamfo in the Tano North District of the Brong-Ahafo Region.

Mr Danso therefore appealed to corporate bodies, charitable organisations and philanthropists to assist the College with donations either in cash or kind towards the building of a three-storey hostel facility that would house 400 female students.

Despite the lack of staff residential and offices facilities, the Director said, the institution is making progress in infrastructural developments as work on its three-storey lecture block.

It could take 400 students with an Information Communication and Technology Centre and a skills laboratory. The work commenced in 2015 and is about 30 per cent complete.

The dining hall, which is also about 85 per cent complete is expected to take 1000 students, he said.

He said the District Assembly had started two separate lecture halls for the College.

Mr Danso said Mrs Freda Prempeh, the Member of Parliament had also provided the institution with a borehole facility to ensure regular supply of water but 'these facilities are not sufficient to meet our expected growth in the immediate future'.

The Director reported that at its establishment in 2015, 589 qualified applicants applied for admission but the College was able to admit only 247, representing 42 per cent.

He said the number comprised 131 males, representing 53 per cent and 116 females indicating 47 per cent.

Mr. Danso said for the 2016/2017 academic year the College had projected to admit 250 students with at least 50 per cent females in line with women empowerment policy of the country.

Madam Monica Nkrumah, the Board Chair of Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation said the Foundation had spent GH₵1,327,804.05 on the first phase of the construction of a two-storey lecture block and a dining/assembly hall for the College.

Mr. Apraku Lartey, the District Chief Executive on behalf of the Assembly donated a brand new double-cabin Nissan pick-up vehicle to the College to assist in its day-to-day administration.

Mrs. Prempeh gave the assurance of her continuous support to the institution through her health fund and advised the students to be humbled and submissive to authority and be prepared to serve the nation.

GNA