GREL SUPPORTS 14 SHS STUDENTS (PAGE 11, NOV 13)

THE Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) has offered scholarships to 14 students selected from the seven traditional areas in the Western Region to pursue further education in their various senior high schools.
Two students each, a male and a female, were selected from the Wassa Fiase, Ahanta, Lower Dixcove, Upper Dixcove, Gwira, Lower Axim and the Nsein Traditional Areas of the Western Region where the company operates.
GREL established the scholarship scheme in collaboration with the Association of Chiefs on Whose Lands GREL Operates (ACLANGO) in 2005, and since then, 49 students have benefited from the scheme.
Each year, the company spends over GH¢40,000 on the beneficiary students for payment of their fees, boarding and lodging.
The beneficiaries of the 2009/2010 academic year are Augustine Adjei, Ruth Nyame, Ebenezer Kwakyi Eshun, Dorothy Dechie, Fred Asante, Christina Archer, Sebastian Josiah Ghartey and Beatrice Harp Amihere.
The rest are Isaac Kwasi, Eva Kwofie, David Yankey, Grace Kwaw, Kingslove Quarm and Ruth Tanne.
Speaking at a short ceremony in Takoradi to present the awards to the beneficiary students, the Ahanta West District Chief Executive, Mr Jones Amoah, commended management of GREL for setting up the scholarship scheme, which would help the students to further their education.
He urged the company to monitor the academic progress of the students to know whether the scheme was achieving the purpose for which it was established.
Mr Amoah also urged parents to encourage their wards to study hard.
“We want you to become assets to your communities, the company, the district, the region and the country,” he said, adding, “We do not want you to become liabilities, so cease this opportunity to better your lot”.
The Managing Director of GREL, Mr Marc Genot, said the company had been able to assist in the development efforts of its host communities as a result of the mutual understanding and co-operation existing between the company and the chiefs of the 84 communities in the area.
He advised the students to set their priorities right, since time was not on their side, adding, “There is no time for fun, but time for hard work”.
Mr Genot urged them to have interest in agriculture, since there was a bright future for educated people in agriculture.
The Chairman of ACLANGO, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, said some companies established scholarship schemes to assist students in the region, but it did not last.
He expressed appreciation to GREL for its support on behalf of the chiefs of the communities within which GREL was operating.
Awulae Kwame also commended the Government for extending electricity to most parts of the Western Region and the country as a whole.
However, he regretted that most of the schoolchildren were not making good use of it by not studying in the nights, while the parents looked on unconcerned.
The Ahanta West District Director of Education, Mr Jerry Hanson, said GREL’s contribution to education in the district had helped to improve the academic performance of schoolchildren in the district.
He advised the students to remain focused in their academic studies to enable them to achieve their set objectives in life.
The Human Resource and Administrative Manager of GREL, Mr J. C. Garbrah, said the students were extremely fortunate to be offered the scholarships, since 32 students applied for it, but only 14 were selected after a competitive interview.
He asked them to take full advantage of the opportunity and make good use of it.
On behalf of his colleagues, Master Augustine Adjei thanked the chiefs and the company for the opportunity given them to pursue further education, and promised that they were going to learn hard to achieve the purpose for which the scholarship scheme was set up.