The AGA-Obuasi Community Trust Fund has since 2019/2020 academic year disbursed a total of GH¢180,000 in tertiary education grants to support 120 brilliant but needy students in the mine’s operational areas.
This was revealed at a short ceremony in Obuasi to announce scholarships to the third batch of 40 beneficiary students. A total of 80 continuing students had already benefited from the first and second disbursements.
Dubbed the Tertiary Education Grant scheme and initiated in 2019, it is expected to enhance access to tertiary education and reduce dropout rate from Senior High School to the tertiary level within the mine’s catchment area.
So far, 42 students from the Obuasi Municipality have benefited from the scheme while 30 tertiary students from the Obuasi East District are also beneficiaries.
Again 24 students each from the Amansie Central District and Adansi North District have also been awarded scholarships from the scheme.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Elijah Adansi-Bonah, who also serves as the Steering Committee Chairman of the AGA Community Trust Fund, mentioned that the scheme this time had to focus more on students who are pursuing mine-related courses in tertiary institutions.
“Hitherto, most of the beneficiaries were students from the training colleges but the Steering Committee decided to also consider more of the students who are doing Mining related courses so that they can have a future in the mine after graduation.”
He called for collaboration between Anglogold Ashanti and the people of Obuasi.
He said it is only through collaboration between the mine and the people in its operational area that Obuasi can develop.
Mr Adansi-Bonah advised the 40 outdoored beneficiaries, who were made up of 22 males and 18 females, to take their studies seriously and be good ambassadors of the scholarship scheme and Obuasi in general.
Dunsinasehene of Fomena Nana Owi-Asamoah, who represented the Adansihene, thanked the AGA Community Trust Fund for prioritising education.
He appealed to them to extend the scheme to those pursuing Masters level and Doctoral level education.
Again, he said, based on the sensitive role played by Medical officers, the Steering committee should consider expanding the Scholarship scheme to cover those in the Medical field.
The Senior Manager Sustainability Anglogold Ashanti, Emmanuel Baidoo, who had his speech read on his behalf, said the Trust Fund exists to make investments in a way that contributes meaningfully to community development and align with the priorities of communities and local government.
He said this will lead to a healthy relationship between Anglogold Ashanti and the communities.
He reiterated AGA’s commitment to support the communities which it operates to make sure they become better off while the company exists and is in operation.
The ceremony to disburse the scholarship comes on the heels of a sod cutting ceremony held by the Community Trust Fund about a month ago, to construct 2-Unit KG blocks for Binsere and Dokyiwa communities as well as Drilling of boreholes at New Biakoyeden, Wioso and Bidiem Communities
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