56TH SPEECH DAY & 3RD GRADUATION CEREMONY - 2005

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Bishop Chairman, His Exellency, Snr John Agyekum Kuffour,President of the Republic of Ghana, Otumfuo, Honourable ministers of state, Wise Head of the College, Members of staff, Amanfoo, fellow students, ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed, the instability of time always ushers us into new and different occurrences. I therefore consider it greater honour done me to be called upon to convey the message of the entire student body to such a motley crowd made up of people of distinguished excellence in various fields of human endeavour.

Bishop Chairman, this mantle of leadership which started 56 years ago was handed over to us on the 1st of August, 2005. We were ushered into service in the background of the wave of indiscipline that swept over secondary schools in the country due to strike actions in the last academic year, managing to shake foundations of this great institution. Like sunshine after a storm, we are the glimmer of hope and the light at the end of the tunnel which every Tom, Dick and Harry look up to lift up the battered image of the school from doldrums. This is what we are determined to accomplish and the goal we still pursue.

My brief report is going to cover the event last academic year and the current one which is barely 3 months old. After 56 years of toil and hard work, success and ill luck, Prempeh today excels as one of the leading secondary schools in Ghana.

In sports, our supremacy is beyond dispute. We therefore entertain the conviction that this academic year will see more laurels pouring into the school. Prempeh’s fame in football is immense and for the past two years, the trophy for the Milo football championship has been our monopoly to the envy of Opoku Ware school [our bitterest rivals].

This years Milo football championship was keenest with many secondary schools avidly determined to break myth surrounding our two years monopoly in the competition. However, featuring experienced footballers like Apio, Ahmed, and others we managed to retain the trophy. It was experience versus determination.

Our athletic team also put up a marvelous performance during the inter schools sporting activities. Notable among our crack athletes was Eric Goloe who proved to be the thorn in the flesh of the Owareans. Our efforts were rewarded with a second position at the end of the competition.

Like hungry wolves our mouths were widely open to swallow the overall trophy this year. Also, our basket ball team did us proud by assuring the second position in the regional basketball competitions. We hope to avenge our defeat this year. Basking in these chain of victories, we let regional volleyball trophy slip through our fingers.

On the academic field too, we can claim without vain boast that we have been in the front rank and we are not resting on our oars at all. Prempeh has produced the largest members of students in K.N.U.S.T. for the two consecutive years and University of Ghana as well.

Bishop Chairman, with our maxim: “Only the best is good for Prempeh” we felt humiliated when we lost in the national debate competition. The loss is still fresh in our memory and we are determined more than ever to mount the throne again.

Last year, we were very determined to win the national science and maths quiz but tried as we did, we were knocked out. We have learnt our lessons and it behooves us to be vigilant against repetition in the future. Bravo! Comrades, Kofi Tawiah, Kwame Danso, Asiamah Ernest, and host of others whose services were indispensable during the competitions.

Bishop Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, when we recall all these achievements, enviable as they are, we are obliged to extend our heartiest thanks to the headmaster, the teaching staff, administrative, pantry and kitchen staff and labourers for their help, their pieces of advice, their forgiven hearts, comforting and encouraging words in times of despair when many things, humanly speaking appear gloomy. To the Prempeh.org team and webmaster, we say AYEKOO. The webmaster has sponsored so many activities on campus and continues to do so. We therefore ask him to do more just like Oliver Twist asked for more.

We hope that they continue to sympathize with us, and with their concerted efforts to promote the interest of the college. Bishop Chairman, I cannot forget old boys and P.T.A. who have also contributed marvelously to the upliftment of the image of the college:

1978 year group: tackled our water problem; 1979 year group: balustrade metal to replace the rotten wooden once; and 1980 year group: 15 jumbo size polytanks

We sincerely thank the P.T.A. for providing a perimeter fence to promote security and the cadet uniform you saw this morning at the parade. We say thank you, gratias vobis agimus! ‘Merci beaucoup,” “Yeda moase”.

Bishop chairman, His Excellency the President, I would like to seize this singular opportunity to renew our request hoping that one or two may have consideration this time.

Ladies and gentlemen, our ardent need is a bigger generator with a greater capacity which can supply the whole school during power failure. It is pitiful to find the great men and earth shakers of tomorrow running helter skelter during preps whenever there is power failure. I therefore plead to well wishers of this college to help us in this direction.

Nananom, ladies and gentlemen, the top floor of the main classroom block is in a very bad shape. The main classroom block behind me has developed serious cracks that can easily lead to the collapse of the building in no distant future. Since it serves as a death trap, we are appealing to the government machinery of which is Ghana’s number one citizen and a seniormost Amanfoo to hear our cry. To our fathers, brothers and uncles who are Amanfoo, you have done it before and can do it again. We believe you and like Oliver Twist, we still ask for more.

Furthermore, the plastic chairs in the school are not enough to cater for the whole school. During functions like this, we have to go out and hire more plastic chairs. We are also left optionless to carry benches from the dining hall to the assembly hall during church services, which is not good enough for Prempeh College. Also the school has no modern entertainment equipment like giant screen projectors, mixers, hi-fi sound systems and speakers. All the old boys who promised us have disappointed us. In this light, let us join hands to put an all round quality investment in the education of tomorrow’s leaders.

Thank you for the audience.

-Ampong S.O.,
Senior Prefect 2005/06

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