Fifty-one students in Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region have been awarded a government scholarship at a cost of over Gh¢82,000 to enable them to pursue various academic programmes at the tertiary level.

The government through the Scholarships Secretariat has decentralised the scholarship scheme to ensure fair and equitable beneficiaries in all district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies.

Some 150 students who are natives and residents of Lower Manya applied to the assembly after an open announcement on various news outlets.

After shortlisting a number of applicants and subsequent interviews in an exercise to ensure impartiality, 51 students were finally selected to benefit from the financial support for the 2019/2020 academic year.

The scholarship which covers only tuition fees depended on the institution of study and the course being pursued.

Some of the students are pursuing diploma and degrees at various Colleges of Education, Technical Universities, Nursing Training Colleges and Universities within and outside the eastern region.

According to the scholarship award letters presented to the students and sighted by ghanaweb, the validity of the scholarship is subject to annual renewal.

It is further stressed that the scholarship is “liable to termination in the event of misconduct, unsatisfactory progress in studies and failure to pass any prescribed examination”, the letter signed by the MCE, Simon Kweku Tetteh stated.

At a short ceremony at the premises of the municipal assembly to present the letters to the students, the Municipal Chief Executive, Simon Kwaku Tetteh said it is the desire of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to see all Ghanaian Youth not denied the best of education.

“We are still developing and not all parents have enough resources to take care of their children”, he said, adding, “even though the President is taking care of the Second Cycle students, it is prudent to extend the scholarship to those at the tertiary institutions, so they can also enjoy.

“The selection committee had no party executives. The process was transparent and fair and there were no political machinations in the selection process”, he stressed.

The MCE encouraged the parents of the students to ensure they do not pay for what has already been taken care of by government, with a call on the students to study hard, return with the knowledge to help their communities.

The Scheme, according to the MCE is expected to ensure that scholarship opportunities are distributed transparently to the needy but brilliant students in the municipality, adding that the scheme will not only ensure accessibility but transparency as well.

Ephraim Afoakwa, a Bsc in Admiration student at the University of Ghana expressed his appreciation to the President and the government with a call on individuals and institutions to join government to ensure the scope of beneficiaries is widened.

Another beneficiary, Naomi Narh-Korlie, a Psychology student at the University of Cape Coast said she is grateful to President Akuffo Addo and the MCE for the scholarship offered her, describing it as a relieve of the financial burden on her parents.

Other students who spoke in an interview also also praised the government for the timely intervention in the pursuit of their studies and see the financial support towards their education as a drive in the realisation of her dreams.

The scholarships are part of the District Scholarship Scheme run by the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat introduced by President Akufo-Addo and launched in Takoradi earlier in July, 2019.

About 30,000 tertiary students across Ghana have reportedly received scholarships from President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The scheme is expected to empower the Metropolitans, Municipals and Districts to award scholarships to needy but brilliant students and deserving ones as well.

With funding amounts of GH¢ 60,000, GH¢ 80,000 and GH¢ 100,000 made available to the MMDAs, the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly received 150 scholarships applications.

The assembly subsequently organized selection interviews and made recommendations where 51 applicants who qualified after appearing before the District Scholarship Review Committee, were awarded the scholarships.

The beneficiaries are pursuing various courses from diplomas to Degrees level.