Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL), a rubber plantation company, has awarded scholarship to 24 tertiary students in it host communities at a cost of GH¢100,000.00 for the 2023 Academic Year.
The number brings to 400, students who have received the GREL scholarship since the scheme began twelve years ago.
The scholarship caters for tuition and accommodation and runs for a period of four years.
The beneficiaries are drawn from the rubber plantation host communities scattered in the Western, Central and Eastern region.
The rubber plantation company operates on lands owned by chiefs, and each of the paramountcy is given a slot for two students to compete and qualify for the scholarship.
To apply for the scholarship, applicants would first have to gain admission into a tertiary institution, show proof of hailing from one of the host communities of the company as endorsed by the chief of the area, and write an aptitude test to qualify.
The aptitude tests are done at the traditional councils.
At a ceremony to presents the scholarships, the President of the Association of Chiefs whose Land GREL Operates (ACLANGO), Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, who is also the Omanhene of Lower Dixcove, lauded the company for keeping to its promise.
The scholarships, he said, would help to alleviate the financial burden parents go through in catering for the tuition fees and accommodation for their wards in the universities, so for GREL to take care of the tuition and residential fees meant a lot to parents.
He advised the beneficiaries, however, not to let the company and the chiefs who fought for the scholarships down, saying they should learn to justify why they were awarded the scholarship.
On his part, Awulae Angamatuo Gyan III, Omanhene of Gwira, indicated that the decision by the plantation company to award scholarships to its host communities was awesome, adding that for this reason, the beneficiaries should justify it with good academic results why they were awarded the scholarships.
On his part, the Corporate Affairs Manager of GREL, Perry Acheampong, indicated that the company was concerned about the livelihood of it host communities, and one of the key areas of priority was education.
He said apart from providing infrastructure, the vision of the company was to raise the educational standard in the communities by helping with scholarship schemes.
“Within the last ten to twelve years, we have given close to 400 beneficiaries scholarships. This year is 24. We expect education to have [an] impact on the communities.”
He continued: “The development and livelihoods of the communities is paramount, and we will not allow [a] few challenges to impact the scholarships.”
He advised the beneficiaries to take their lessons serious and prove their worth with good and better academic results.
GREL also used the ceremony to formally introduce the new Managing Director (MD), Thierry Cauchy, to the ACLANGO. Thierry Cauchy took over from the former MD, Lionel Barry, who retired in September this year.
Those present at the ceremony included Awulae Attibrukusu, Omanhene of Lower Axim, Awulae Angamatuo Gyan, Omanhene of Gwira, Awulae Amihere Kpanyile, Omanhene of Eastern Nzema, Nana Eziaku, Acting President of the Ahanta Traditional Council, and other chiefs.
