The Member of Parliament for Assin South has pledged to reduce hunger among pupils in the district to help Ghana meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Reverend John Ntim Fordjour says he will sustain the free School Feeding Program he personally initiated and funded for pupils.

The free school feeding program which the MP has been running for the past two years is part of a broader vision aimed at providing schools in some of the most deprived communities in the constituency with one hot nutritious meal, prepared from locally grown foodstuff on every school going day.

He was speaking at the launch of the Assin Adubiase Methodist School Speech and Prize giving day in the Central Region.

The MP also presented 10 computers for the learning of ICT in the school and established a modern ICT laboratory. The occasion was used to launch of the 111th anniversary of the school.

Rev Ntim Fordjour said the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) has proven to be an effective strategy for increasing enrolment, attendance, retention and even performance of school children in deprived communities.

He said in spite of government's resolve to expand the programme, there were still some deprived communities in the area that were not covered. 

The MP, therefore, called on the Gender Minister as well as all well-meaning stakeholders to support the effort.

"I am committed to contributing to the reduction of hunger and malnutrition, improve health status of school children as well as support local farmers by the use of local foodstuffs in order to maintain food security in communities in a more sustainable manner," he noted.

He said the GSFP has the potential to reduce hunger, malnutrition and poverty and serve as the yardstick for measuring the attainment of the SDGs.

The MP has also facilitated a number of scholarships and training programmes for more than 500 qualified students from the area to pursue further studies and training from the nation's tertiary institutions.

The Assin Adubiase Methodist School, the first to be established in the Central Province of the Gold Coast in 1906 has produced illustrious personalities including Dr K. A Busia, former President of Ghana.

It also produced Kwaku Baako Senior, Justice Siaw, a Supreme Court Judge and Nana Amankwa Tia, former Benkumhene of  Bantama.

Rev Fordjour urged the students to study hard to enable them to take full advantage of government's free education policy.

Assin South District Chief Executive (DCE), Derrick Owusu Ambrose, reiterated government's commitment to providing the infrastructure and logistical needs of educational institutions to enhance academic work.