The West African Gas Pipe Company (WAPCo) Limited has awarded scholarship to 49 students for their outstanding academic performance.
The students are from five host communities of the company’s operations namely: Aboadze, Abuesi, Shama, Dwomo and Lower Inchaban all in the Shama District of the Western Region. They are to further their education at 13 tertiary institutions across the country over the next three years.
The total cost of the WAPCo scholarship for the 2022/2023 academic year alone is GH¢641,700.
Dr. Isaac Adjei Doku, General Manager, Corporate Affairs at WAPCo at the presentation of the 9th batch of the scholarship awards at Shama explained that “WAPCo’s livelihood support programme consists of two schemes: a scholarship scheme and a skills acquisition scheme”.
He said that since the inception of the livelihood support programme, the company has supported 503 students in Ghana, many of whom have successfully completed their programmes of study. “This number excludes the current batch of awardees,” he clarified.
“Out of 395 scholarship awardees, 195 are females and our selection process safeguards fair representation from each community,” he added.
Dr. Doku stated that WAPCo, has so far disbursed the equivalent of about US$921,000.00 in the country to ensure that the youth in its host communities have an equal opportunity to develop and achieve their potential to make meaningful contributions to their communities.
According to him, WAPCo’s investment in the youth is also to ensure that host communities have the requisite talents for their growth and development.
Over the period, he said the WAPCo-sponsored students have pursued over 20 different courses, reflecting the diversity of interests and pool of employable talents and skills being developed in these communities. The courses pursued included doctor of optometry, medicine and surgery, nautical science, petroleum engineering, actuarial science, law, and environmental and safety engineering, among others.
“We are proud to say that we have so far achieved a 100 percent completion rate for all previous recipients of the WAPCo scholarship, except those still in school. The academic excellence of these graduates is reflective of our core value of operational excellence,” he pointed out.
“This year, we have 69 successful candidates from our seven host communities in Ghana, who have exhibited excellence in their academic pursuits during the selection process. Five of our host communities are in the Western Region; that is Shama District and two are in the Greater Accra Region,” he said.
The acting Chief of Shama, Nana Kwamina Wienu II thanked WAPCo for its corporate social responsibility activities within the Shama District.
He said over 500 students have benefitted from the scholarship Scheme and through this, some of them are nurses and engineers, among others within the region and beyond.
“Go and study hard, let your books be your friend and eschew acts which do not augur well for your studies and development”, he advised.
He encouraged parents and guardians of the beneficiaries to provide them with their needs.
Raphael Taylor, Shama District Director of Education, stated that the scholarship is for the students to develop themselves and become responsible.
“You have shown your commitment to brilliant but needy students to fulfill their dreams and aspirations, and I salute you WAPCo; without you, there would have been a lot of struggles for their parents and guardians. Your scholarship has been impactful to families and the communities at large,” he said.
Ebenezer Dadzie, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Shama also lauded WAPCo for the scholarship adding: “This, has been very impactful and will uplift the image of the District”.
He congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to contribute their quota to the development of the region and the country as a whole when they complete their course.
He urged the beneficiaries to see the scholarship as a privilege and learn hard to justify their selection.
