HASCO SCIENCE BLOCK REFURBISHED (MIRROR, PAGE 25)

From Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Half-Assini
The Science Block of the Half-Assini Secondary School (HASCO) in the Jomoro District of the Western Region, which was refurbished by Tullow oil has been handed over to the school authorities.
Tullow Oil, one of the oil and gas production companies working at the Jubilee Oil-Fields in the Western Region, provided $80,000 for the refurbishment and equipment of the laboratory and also replaced the malfunctioning water reservoir with jumbo tanks powered by mechanised boreholes for the school.
The company has also initiated a programme of social empowerment for communities in the Nzema West areas, where 12 mechanised and hand-pump wells have been completed to provide potable water to about 13,000 inhabitants.
The company will by the end of this year complete 30 more wells in the area.
Speaking at the ceremony to hand over the laboratory to the school, the Country Manager of Tullow Oil, Mr Kofi Esson, said when the company selected the school, its focus was to solve the water problem.
“In our rounds, we saw the structure which the head teacher said was not an abandoned building but rather their science laboratory”, he said.
Mr Esson said, “We were touched by that, knowing well the contributions of science to our existence, therefore we had it discussed and approved to ensure that the next batch of science students did not suffer.”
The country manager said Tullow was a responsible company that has adopted pragmatic policies as its social responsibilities with much respect for the countries they operate.
“We also ensure a firm commitment to maintaining a healthy balance between environment and business risks to ensure that the local communities, the country and the company benefited,” he said.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Kojo Egya, thanked the company for the support, adding “I can assure you that in the next exams we will no longer perform abysmally but ensure that we justify our call with the improved facilities at the school.”
He said the block would not only be used by the students of HASCO but by schools nearby who use the school lab as a resource centre.