Cape Coast, Jan. 12, GNA - Twenty-six students in the Central Region will benefit from a scholarship to pursue their Senior Secondary School education as from this year. The scheme instituted by Mr Ato Essuman, Member of the Council of State, would cover a boy and a girl from each of the 13 districts in the region.

Mr Essuman, who is also the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education and Lay President of the Methodist Church of Ghana, announced the gesture at a meeting of the Central Region House of Chiefs, at Cape Coast.

He said it was disheartening that as a result of poverty, Central Region, which was "the cradle of Ghana's education" was now lagging behind in the roll call of best performing regions in the area of education.

"This is a clear indication that the basis of qualified human resources that are the re-requisite for development of any nation is rapidly dwindling in the region and thus, further deepening the poverty levels of our already impoverished people," he stated. The scheme is to motivate students who have lost hope of furthering their education as a result of economic difficulties to realise their potentials.

He asked the District Assemblies to collaborate with their Directorate of Education to select beneficiaries.

Mr Essuman asked the House of Chiefs to compile a directory of high-ranking professionals and experts from the region both at home and abroad to serve as a "resource base" for the region's development. "In the poverty map of the country Central Region ranks fourth, this should be a serious concern for all," he said.

The Council of State Member pledged to rehabilitate the offices of the Regional House of Chiefs at his own cost.

Nana Kwamina Ansah IV, President of the House, said the Chiefs shared the views of the Council of State Member and expressed their support for the efforts to ensure the development of the region. Nana Ansah commended him for instituting the scholarship scheme and appealed to other well-to-do citizens to emulate the gesture. 13 Jan 06