Access Bank PLC, as part of its corporate social investment, has donated 1000 pairs of sandals to ten schools in five regions of the country.
The sandals were distributed to the less privileged children in the beneficiary schools in the exercise which was done simultaneously across the five regions of the country.
The schools are Madina Demonstration Basic School, Adabraka Liberty Basic School in the Greater Accra Region, Enchi-Limankrom M/A Primary School, Sefwi Dwinase Primary School (Nana Biney School) in the Western Region, Ponyentanga Basic School, Jambusi Basic School in the Upper West, Nana Korkor Dua Junior High School and Sokode Juaso Basic School in the Eastern Region, and Wamale Islamic Primary and Labariga Methodist Primary in the Northern Region.
The donation is under the Bank’s ‘A Sandal More’ initiative, meant to address the challenge of the environmental impact of discarded car tyres and the need for adequate footwear among underprivileged children in basic schools across Ghana.
Under the programme, the Bank intends to convert 2000 used cars tyres into 13, 000 sandals and distribute to school across the country in the next five years.
This is to help address the challenge where some children go to school without wearing shoe.
Speaking at a ceremony to handover the sandals to the beneficiary schools in Accra on Friday, the Managing Director of Access Bank PlC, Olumide Olatunji said the programme was to help protect the environment through recycling used tyres for sandals.
“At Access Bank, we are committed to meeting the world’s financial needs in economically, socially and environmental responsible ways while impacting our communities,” he stated.
He said environmental sustainability remained a priority of the bank, indicating that “Our sustainability commitments as a Bank target responsible operations at the work place, sustainable business finance for the Bank’s market and CSI to the communities the bank operated in.
Mr Olatunji said through the initiative which is being supportive by some customers of the bank and other partners, his outfit had been able to recycle 9000 tonnes of used tyres into eco-friendly sandals.
The MD of Açcess Bank PLC further said it was estimated that about 20 million children in Africa walk on barefoot to school.
He said education remained an important tool for progress and development nothing should hinder the access of children to education.
“We are truly excited about the impact this project will be making on the lives of children, and promoting quality education delivery, ” Mr Olatunji said, emphasising that ” We believe that this gesture will give a child here a sandal more for a better tomorrow. “
He said the bank had budget GHC1 million for the programme for the next five years.
The Director of Corporate Affairs of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mrs Audrey Quarcoo, and lauded Access Bank PLC for the initiative said it would promote the environment.
She said the sandals were eco-friendly.
The Staff Development Officer at the Accra Metro Education Directorate, Benjamin Kofi Kwarteng lauded Access Bank PLC for the initiative.
He said the recycling would help to clear the environment of used tyres which served as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Mr Kwarteng entreated other corporate organisations to emulate the example of Access Bank PLC.
Mr Michael King Kporvie, Assistant Headteacher of Liberty Avenue 2, Junior High School expressed gratitude to Access Bank for the support to the children.
He said the sandals would go a long way to encourage the children to attend school all the time.
Ms Patience Gbevlo Lartey, the Head Teacher MantseTackie 3 Primary and JHS said the donation would go a long way to address the problem where some of the children attended school without shoe.
Ms Lartey appealed to other corporate organisation to come to the aid of the school.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
