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UDS student transforms learning in deprived Ashanti community with locally-made school furniture
A student of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Mr Ganiu Salifu Luri, has brought relief and renewed hope to pupils and teachers of Asare Nkwanta, a deprived community in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region, by mobilising residents to manufacture urgently needed school furniture.
Until this intervention, nearly 70 school children in the community endured the discomfort of sitting and lying on the bare floor during lessons, while teachers struggled without desks on which to carry out their work.
The lack of basic learning and teaching resources had long been a barrier to effective education delivery in the community.
Mr Luri, who is serving in Asare Nkwanta as part of the University’s Third Trimester Field Practical Programme (TTFPP), said the situation deeply moved him when he arrived.
Determined to make a difference, he established a community-based initiative named ‘Equip to Excel,’ aimed at mobilising local residents to address the pressing furniture deficit in the school.
Through his foundation, Mr Luri encouraged community members to contribute wood and other materials, after which he personally undertook the carpentry work to produce desks and tables for the school.
His efforts culminated in a formal presentation of the newly manufactured furniture to the school during an assessment visit by his supervisors, including Dr Hardi Shahadu of UDS.
Community elders and school management described the intervention as a game-changer for education in Asare Nkwanta.
“This has solved one of the most urgent challenges in our school. The children can now learn in comfort, and teachers can work more effectively,” an elder remarked during the handing over ceremony.
Asare Nkwanta is one of many underserved communities in the Sekyere Central District, grappling with inadequate infrastructure, limited educational resources, and socioeconomic challenges.
The TTFPP, a flagship component of UDS’academic calendar sends students to such rural and peri-urban areas to live, work, and identify development needs while implementing practical solutions that leave lasting impact.
Mr Luri’s initiative is one of many innovative projects being undertaken by UDS students across Ghana under the TTFPP.
In various communities, these students have addressed issues ranging from sanitation and water supply to health education and skills training with each project tailored to the needs identified in their host communities.
The Vice-Chancellor of UDS has often described the TTFPP as “the University’s most distinctive contribution to Ghana’s development,” combining academic learning with community service to nurture socially responsible graduates while delivering real change at the grassroots.
For Asare Nkwanta, the desks built through the dedication of a young university student now stand as a lasting reminder that with vision, collaboration, and determination, even the most deprived communities can take steps toward educational transformation.
Credit:https:uds.edu.gh/news
Local mattress manufacturers have raised serious concerns over the influx of substandard mattresses, warning that these products pose significant health risks to consumers and threaten the sustainability of Ghana’s mattress industry.
At a press briefing held in Kumasi on Tuesday, manufacturers accused unregistered foreign entities, particularly Chinese firms, of flooding the market with cheap mattresses made from polystyrene.
Mr Yaw Ampem Darko, a spokesperson for the local manufacturers, warned that prolonged use of substandard mattresses, especially those made with polystyrene, could result in chronic back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, poor posture, and diminished sleep quality.
These health implications, they stressed, were not always immediately evident but accumulate over time, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
This material, typically used for packaging, is considered unsuitable and unsafe for bedding.
According to industry leaders, these sub-standard products have been circulating for at least five years, gaining traction among unsuspecting consumers due to their unusually low prices.
“These mattresses are being sold at suspiciously low prices, luring unsuspecting consumers who are unaware of the health dangers.”
“We are not just protecting our businesses; we are protecting Ghanaian lives. The government must act swiftly to stem this tide before more citizens fall victim to these dangerous products,” Mr Yaw Ampem Darko stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has acknowledged the issue and, in response, announced a nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at clamping down on the production, distribution, and sale of substandard mattresses.
The campaign, which was scheduled to take effect from September 30, 2025, was empowered by the GSA Act, 2022 (Act 1078), which authorises the Authority to seize and seal non-compliant products and impose sanctions on offenders.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, the authority cited Sections 29 and 43 of the Act, reiterating that all mattresses sold in Ghana must meet established national standards or face confiscation.
The statement further emphasised that mattresses failing to meet these standards not only compromise sleep quality but also contribute to long-term health complications, including spinal and neck pain.
Despite the GSA’s commitment, manufacturers have expressed frustration over delays in implementation and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
They urged the GSA to work in close collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and national law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute violators of Ghana’s quality standards.
Manufacturers are also appealing to consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their health by verifying that any mattress they purchase bears the GSA certification mark.
Moreover, they caution the public against purchasing suspiciously cheap mattresses that lack proper labelling or identifiable branding, as these were often indicators of substandard or counterfeit products.
As the official enforcement deadline had expired with no show, the local producers insisted that much more than business interests were at stake.
They argued that without swift and sustained action, the health and safety of Ghanaian consumers would continue to be compromised.
“Public awareness, strict enforcement, and collaboration among regulatory bodies are essential if we are to protect the integrity of the local industry and the wellbeing of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Darko indicated.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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The Founder of the Raissa Child Protection Initiative, Ms Raissa Sambou, has urged authorities to impose severe punishment on individuals, including teachers and guardians, who sexually abuse young girls.
Speaking in an interview to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), Ms Sambou condemned the increasing cases of sexual exploitation involving minors, describing such acts as “heartless, criminal, and a total betrayal of trust.”
She noted that those entrusted with the care and education of children must not be the same people who violate them, stressing that “anyone found guilty of abusing a girl child must face the full rigours of the law without leniency.”
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually to promote the rights of girls, empower them to reach their full potential, and draw attention to the challenges they face worldwide.
Ms Sambou lamented that poverty continues to push many young girls into vulnerable situations, exposing them to exploitation.
She expressed concern that some headmasters, teachers, and community members who should protect girls rather take advantage of them.
“This must stop immediately. The safety of every girl must never be compromised,” she said, urging the public to report all forms of abuse to the appropriate authorities and called for swift action by law enforcement agencies against perpetrators.
Addressing girls directly, Ms Sambou encouraged them to take their education seriously and to believe in their potential.
“It is possible to be young and responsible. Your future is bright, protect it, believe in it, and never let anyone dim your light,” she advised.
She further urged girls to choose their friends wisely, stay disciplined, and speak up if anyone makes sexual advances toward them.
Ms Sambou concluded with a rallying call for collective action, saying “speak up, protect them, and empower them. Together, we can end the sexual exploitation of girls.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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