Mr Charles Oduro Acheampong, Assembly Member for Kaasi Electoral Area in the Kumasi metropolis, has entreated organizations and corporate bodies especially timber firms operating in the area, to fulfil their social responsibilities to the community.
He said with the exception of Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) which had over the years provided two modern places of convenience and a Junior High School (JHS) block which now needs rehabilitation, other organisations particularly timber firms, have neglected their social responsibilities to the area.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi at the weekend, Mr Acheampong said he had on many occasions written to the firms to support the community in their development projects but to no avail.
He cited a recent appeal to the firms to support the completion of a five-unit storey classroom block for the Kaasi M/A Basic School, a project started last year through levies and voluntary contributions had been delayed due to financial constraint.
Mr Acheampong lamented that whereas those timber firms constantly honoured their social responsibility to the concessional communities in which they operated to obtain their raw materials; the same could not be said of Kaasi where their manufacturing factories are sited.
The Assemblyman appealed for cement, iron rods, boards, sand and stones, and roofing materials for the school project, which has the foundation laid at the cost of 1,000 Ghana cedis.
The project is meant to help accommodate the growing number of pupils and students and also stop the shift system which often discourages the children from attending school as they are not properly monitored by school authorities and parents.
Kaasi is noted for its industrial activities and currently has over 10 major timber firms which include Naja David Group of Companies, AG Timbers, Fares Timbers, Maxwell Owusu Sawmills, Wood Complex, Top Timbers, STP Timbers, among others.