The Petroleum Commission, Ghana has awarded GH¢35,012 worth of scholarship to ten (10) needy female students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The awardees are drawn from the 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years in six programmes run by the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, namely, Agriculture, Engineering Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Earth Sciences and Information Technology.
In the ceremony to present the awards, chaired by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, each awardee received a cheque covering the academic facility user fee for the duration of their studies.
Welcoming the delegation from the Petroleum Commission, Prof. Aba Amfo conveyed the University’s sincere appreciation to the Commission for committing to supporting STEM education in Ghana. She recounted the long-standing partnership between the University and the Petroleum Commission in ensuring that STEM enrolment and professions are enhanced. Prof. Amfo tasked the beneficiaries to cherish the scholarship and encouraged them to form a club to support each other and other future beneficiaries. She also appealed to the Petroleum Commission to consider taking on the residential facility user fee as well as providing awardees with laptops to facilitate their academic work in the future.
The motivation for the awards, according to the Finance Manager of the Petroleum Commission, Mr. George Addy-Morton, came from very low female participation in the hard-core engineering and technical areas in Ghana’s upstream industry. Thus, the scholarships are intended to bridge the gender gap in order to propel the industry into the foreseeable future.
Prof. Daniel Asiedu, Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, commended the Petroleum Commission for taking the initiative to enhance female enrolment in STEM in these times when companies are barely making profits. He also congratulated the beneficiaries and exhorted them to maintain high academic standards.
Ms. Rosina Buabeng, one of the awardees, expressed the appreciation of the beneficiaries to the donors and the University and promised they will work hard as expected of them.
The team from the Petroleum Commission comprised Mr. George Addy-Morton, Finance Manager; Madam Sandra Ametowobla, Manager, Education and Development; and Madam Linda Kosi, Head, Corporate Affairs.
University officials present at the meeting included Prof. Daniel Bruce Sarpong, Dean, School of Agriculture; Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, Dean, School of Engineering Sciences; Prof. Patrick Asamoah-Sakyi, Representative of the Dean, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, College Secretary, College of Basic and Applied Sciences; and Ms. Eccles Andoh, Acting Director, Public Affairs Directorate.
