Fintrade supports more students

Page 20: November 5, 2007.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Executive Secretary of the Finatrade Foundation, Mr John Awuni, has urged beneficiaries of its scholarship scheme to study hard to justify the continuation of the scheme.
He said although the foundation was committed to human resource development, especially in the agricultural sector, it was important that beneficiaries took their studies seriously.
He said the foundation was happy that the first batch of graduates from the scheme attained first class.
Mr Awuni, who is also the Director of Corporate Affairs of Finatrade Group, made the call when he presented a number of cheques to meet the expenses of beneficiaries for the first semester at the University of Ghana, Legon.
The first batch of 22 beneficiaries completed last academic year, with 46 remaining. Twenty more students are to be enrolled in the scheme from the University of Ghana, Legon, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast and University for Development Studies to bring the total to 66 students.
Mr Awuni said the foundation had spent more than ¢1 billion in financial support to the beneficiaries.
He said the essence of the financial aid was to enable the students to focus on their studies, saying that it would be sad that despite such support, the academic performance of the students would be poor.
The Dean of the School of Agriculture at the University of Ghana, Professor Kwame Offei, who received the cheques on behalf of the students and later presented them to the individual beneficiaries, noted that Finatrade Foundation was one of the few organisations funding agricultural education in the country.
He appealed to the foundation to explore the possibilities of financing some infrastructural projects to help create an enabling environment for teaching and learning.
He said he would monitor the performance of the students and anyone found to be slacking academically would be withdrawn.
Prof Offei urged those who had graduated to stay in the country and instead of leaving the shores of the country.
The President of the Finatrade Scholars Association (FinASA), Mr Frank Koomson, noted that the financial support provided by the foundation served as the lifeline on campus.