Thirty students from AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Mine’s host communities pursuing engineering and STEM related courses at the Obuasi Campus of KNUST have been awarded scholarship by the company.
Last year 20 students were offered scholarship by the company bringing the total to fifty.
Speaking at the ceremony at the Anyinam Lodge, Mr. Edmund Oduro Agyei, Director Sustainability Management, AGA stated, “today’s event demonstrates our belief that sustainable development is best achieved when we invest in people, build strong partnerships and create opportunities that enable individuals and communities to thrive.”
As part of the package, each student received a laptop, besides tuition fees and accommodation. A total of GHC697,976.00 being the one-year fees for the 30 students have been paid to KNUST officials.
To the scholarship beneficiaries, Mr Oduro Agyei said, “today marks the beginning of an important chapter in your academic journey, we encourage you to embrace this with discipline, dedication and a strong commitment to academic excellence.”
Prof. Christian Agyare, the Vice Chancellor, in a speech read on his behalf noted that the occasion was the second chapter of a promise made by AngloGold Ashanti and the University that talent in these mining communities should never be wasted for want of money.
He, on behalf of KNUST, thanked AGA for choosing to invest in people. To the scholars, the Vice Chancellor said,” out of many scholars, you were chosen but let me say plainly that this scholarship is not a prize for what you have done, it is an advance on what you are expected to become.”
“Treat every day as a responsibility. Someone has paid your fees so your only job is to learn. Attend your lectures. Use the laboratories and the library. Ask your lecturers questions. Do not be satisfied with merely passing. Aim to understand deeply, because the engineers this country needs are the ones who can solve problems nobody has solved before,” the VC told the students.
The Registrar of KNUST, Mr. Ben Owusu, for his part noted that education was a tool for personal development and transformation towards the community and thanked AGA for the opportunity given to the students to pursue University education. He charged the students to be time conscious and should not waste their time on social media when the books are there.
In a speech read on her behalf, the Obuasi MCE, Faustilove Appiah Kannin, noted that the cost of education continued to present challenges for some families and thanked AGA for coming to the aid of the students.
“As an Assembly we remain committed to working with AGA and other development partners to promote inclusive growth and improve educational outcomes in the Municipality,” she added.
The Nyameso Odikro, Barfour Boakye, who represented the Edubiasehene, Guahyia Oduro Panin Birikorang, charged the beneficiaries to be serious with their studies so that in future they will come back to support the development of Adansi.
He also thanked the scholarship selection committee for doing a good job to select the best for the University.
From Frederick Danso Abeam, Obuasi
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