President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated the completed E-Block facility at Paga Senior High School (SHS) in the Kassena Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, fulfilling a key commitment to the community.
Speaking at a durbar attended by traditional leaders, local authorities and heads of institutions, President Mahama announced plans to upgrade Paga SHS into a full boarding school as part of efforts to improve access to quality secondary education.
He also reaffirmed his government’s commitment to completing abandoned E-Block projects across the country.
Responding to an appeal from the Paramount Chief of the Paga Traditional Area, Pe Charles Awiah Awampaga II, the President announced additional infrastructure for the school.
He said the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) would construct a girls’ dormitory, a boys’ dormitory and a dining hall.
He also presented the school with a new 60-seater bus.
President Mahama urged the school’s management and students to make effective use of the facilities and work towards improving academic performance.
He said the government’s Resetting Ghana Agenda places emphasis on expanding access to education, improving infrastructure and raising learning outcomes.
According to him, the government remains committed to ending the Double Track system by 2027.
“Today, students in Paga have a beautiful, brand-new school that will significantly improve their learning experience and outcomes,” he said.
The President further directed GETFund to expedite the provision of furniture and other essential equipment for the school.
He disclosed that, under the STAR-J project, the government would construct 30 additional E-Blocks from scratch in densely populated areas across the country.
On concerns over food shortages in senior high schools, President Mahama said the government had secured sustainable funding for the Free SHS programme.
He rejected claims made during the 2024 campaign that his administration would cancel Free SHS, saying the government was instead focused on improving the programme and enhancing the quality of education.
President Mahama also addressed development concerns raised by the Paga community, particularly in the areas of healthcare, roads and water supply.
On the stalled Agenda 111 hospital projects, he said the government had adopted a phased approach to completing the facilities, with priority given to underserved districts.
He explained that 35 health projects that are at least 70 per cent complete had been selected for completion in 2026, while another 20 projects that have reached at least 50 per cent completion would be selected next year.
He said priority would be given to districts that currently lack major health facilities.
On water supply challenges in the area, President Mahama said the government would promote collaboration between the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to address shortages.
The inauguration forms part of the government’s broader efforts to revive stalled infrastructure projects and improve public services under the Resetting Ghana Agenda.
