The Volta River Authority (VRA) has granted scholarships totaling GH₵1 million to support 60 financially challenged but academically excellent students pursuing various programs in public tertiary institutions during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years.
This initiative is part of the Authority's Community Development Programme (CDP).
Mr. Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, the Chief Executive of VRA, made this announcement during the Scholarship Awards Ceremony held in Akuse.
He revealed that this year's support brings the total number of beneficiaries to 449 since the inception of the CDP Scholarship program.
The scholarship program is highly competitive, with priority given to applicants enrolling in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs. Its primary objective is to aid academically gifted but underprivileged students while fostering the development of human resources in their respective communities.
Since 2011, 389 students from operational areas such as Akosombo, Akuse, Tema/Kpone, and Aboadze have benefited from this scholarship scheme.
Among them, 234 were recipients at the Senior High School level, while 155 received scholarships for tertiary education.
Mr. Antwi-Darkwa emphasized VRA's commitment to digital transformation, stating that the scholarship application process had been moved online as part of their innovation and creativity agenda.
The Chief Executive noted the considerable successes of the scholarship program, highlighting that many beneficiaries were the first generation of scholars in their families and sometimes even their communities. In 2022, 27 students graduated from their institutions, with five earning First Class Honors degrees.
He mentioned the outstanding achievements of some past beneficiaries, including students pursuing advanced degrees and participating in various academic conferences and programs. For example, Mr. Theophilus Narteh Wakemeh and Miss Ernestine Emefa Akorli are currently pursuing a PhD in Electrical Engineering and a Master's in Communications, respectively, at the North Carolina State University in Raleigh, USA. Additionally, Mr. Ivan Nyamasekpor, a 2020 graduate from the University of Ghana, was invited as the only African representative to the IAU 2023 International Conference in Doha, Qatar.
Mr. Antwi-Darkwa also acknowledged the formation of an Alumni Association by past beneficiaries, which aims to contribute significantly to the development of their communities.
Some have also actively participated in the Authority's flagship Employee Volunteer Programme (EVP), sharing their experiences, providing counseling, and imparting knowledge to students in public senior high schools within VRA's operational areas.