Fomena (Ash), Jan 11, GNA - The Adansi Traditional Council (ATC) has distributed a total amount of GH¢6,500 as bursaries to 53 students in tertiary and second cycle schools at a ceremony at Fomena in the Adansi North District.

Twelve of the beneficiaries were tertiary students and each received GH¢200, while the remaining 41 had GH¢100.00 each. The scheme was re-introduced by the Council in 2001 after a 41-year hiatus to give financial push to brilliant but needy indigenous students in their academic pursuit.

Okofo Sobin Kan II, Dompoasehene and acting President of the Council, said they changed from the scholarship scheme to bursary to enable more students to benefit from it at a time.

He said this was proof of their determination to help to develop the human resource base of the Adansi area. Okofo Sobin Kan said the Traditional Council was using its share of mineral royalties received from AngloGold Ashanti to support the students. "Nananom deserve to be congratulated for their sacrifices and foresight in providing for the training of the human resource in the area= ", he added.

He reminded the students that the award could be withdrawn should the= y fail to maintain high academic standards and good conduct. Alhaji Abdul Lateef Majdoub, the District Chief Executive, said the best investment parents could make for their children was to give them reasonable level of education.

He therefore commended the chiefs for the financial relief to poor parents. Alhaji Madjoub urged parents to spend quality time with their childre= n and to encourage them to work hard on their books. The District Education Director, Dr George Adjei-Henne, advised the students to respect their teachers and parents and avoid picking friends, who would a bad influence on them.