KWAHU WEST, 16 September, 26 — The National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG), in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) through the Partnership for Municipal Innovation – Women in Local Leadership (PMI-WILL) Project, has commissioned and handed over a newly constructed Kindergarten (KG) block at Asuboni Rails in the Kwahu West Municipal Assembly.

The facility forms part of the PMI-WILL Service Initiative designed to address gaps in early childhood education infrastructure while improving the conditions that enable women, particularly mothers, to participate more fully in economic and community activities. The initiative seeks to provide a safer learning environment, increase enrolment in early childhood education, reduce the burden on mothers and create more productive hours for women.

At the commissioning ceremony, NALAG General Secretary, Sheriff Amarh, called on the community, traditional authorities and education stakeholders to take ownership of the facility and ensure its long-term sustainability.

“The objective of this intervention is not only to improve the physical infrastructure but, more importantly, to improve the quality of life of the people.”

He noted that the improved learning environment had contributed to increased interest in the school, allowing parents who previously travelled longer distances to access education to bring their children to the facility. He also urged parents, traditional leaders and religious authorities to support teachers in developing the knowledge, skills and values of the children.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Kwahu West, Hon. Halidu Tamimu, expressed appreciation to NALAG and FCM for supporting education infrastructure in the municipality. He described the new facility as an important community asset and urged residents to protect and maintain it.

“One may say we are commissioning a building, but today I see it that we are commissioning opportunities, we are commissioning talents, we are commissioning school children.”

The MCE also called for stronger support for school feeding, noting that the number of schools benefiting from the programme in the municipality had increased from 33 to 56. He further cited the municipality’s strong educational performance, indicating that the 2026 BECE pass rate was around 95 percent.

PMI-WILL: From Community Need to Practical Intervention

Speaking on behalf of PMI-WILL, Keita Rose-Tahiru, Inclusive Local Government Adviser, described the commissioning as a significant milestone in the project’s work to promote women’s participation in local decision-making and improve gender-responsive municipal services.

She explained that PMI-WILL has worked with local governments and local government associations in Benin, Cambodia, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Zambia, with a focus on strengthening women’s representation and participation in local governance and improving municipal services.

“This is a significant milestone for the project.”

According to Rose-Tahiru, the KG block began as a community proposal approximately two years ago and has now become a completed facility through collaboration among the Municipal Assembly, NALAG, FCM, the PMI-WILL Working Group and the community.

She stressed that the completion of the infrastructure should not signal the end of community engagement.

“The real task now is to ensure that everything achieved through the project is sustained for the next 10, 20 years and beyond.”

Building a Safer Foundation for Children

The District Education Director, George Nyakyera, welcomed the intervention, describing the commissioning as an important moment for education in the municipality.

He emphasised the importance of quality educational infrastructure in improving learning outcomes and noted encouraging improvements in educational performance, with overall results rising from 52.5 percent to 92 percent, according to figures cited in his remarks. He also stated that no school recorded performance below 50 percent.

The Education Directorate, he said, remains committed to improving both academic and co-curricular development, while ensuring that children have access to a conducive learning environment.

A Shared Responsibility

The speakers unanimously emphasised the need for the community to protect the new facility.

The MCE urged chiefs, teachers and parents to treat the building as their own property and to address maintenance needs promptly rather than waiting until damage becomes extensive.

Rose-Tahiru similarly called on residents to continue engaging the Municipal Assembly, communicating both areas requiring improvement and areas where the Assembly is performing well.

“This is your community. These are your children. This is your responsibility.”

She said the success of the project would ultimately be measured not merely by the existence of a completed building, but by the children who benefit from it, the opportunities created for women and the quality of municipal services delivered to the community.

The commissioning of the Asuboni Rails KG block underscores the potential of partnerships between local government, development partners and communities to convert identified local needs into practical interventions.

For NALAG and its partners, the facility represents more than an educational structure. It is an investment in early childhood education, women’s economic participation, inclusive local governance and community development.