The Scholarship Secretariat has granted full scholarships to all continuing senior high school students of Denkyira Obuasi.
The scholarship scheme is in line with measures by government in collaboration with stakeholders to aid in the restoration of the town which gained notoriety in May 2017 for the lynching of Major Maxwell Mahama.
The 32-year-old soldier was killed by a mob at Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region while on official duties on Monday, May 29, 2017. He was given a state burial with full military honors on Friday 9th June 2017. Read more
According to the Scholarship Secretariat, persons from Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region entering senior high school for the first time would be covered by the government’s Free SHS policy.
Those in their second and third year would be given full scholarships under the Secretariat’s “Hardship Scholarship” to complete their courses, Registrar of the Secretariat, Kingsley Agyemang told TV3’s Solace-Rose Quartey on Tuesday
He said his outfit received a request from the opinion leaders in Denkyira Obuasi, that many have fled the town leaving behind their wards without anyone to take care of their school expenses.
They therefore wanted government support, he said, noting that because education is dear to President Akufo-Addo’s heart, the secretariat decided to enroll between “70 and 100” students from the town on the Hardship Scholarship.
Kingsley Agyemang maintained that the children should not be made to bear the brunt of someone’s criminal action, noting that they did not play a part in the lynching of the military officer.
Meanwhile, a man who identified himself as Rev. Jackson Ofori of the Church of God who was at the Secretariat when the scholarship was announced, pleaded with Ghanaians to forgive residents of Denkyira Obuasi and accept them as Ghanaians.
According to him, the town is now calm and the people there are hospitable, inviting personnel posted to the area, like himself, by their institutions to accept the posting.
According to him, the town is now calm and the people there are hospitable, inviting personnel posted to the area, like himself, by their institutions to accept the posting.
Following the death of Major Mahama, President Nana Akufo-Addo set up a Memorial Trust Fund, with seed money of GH¢500,000 in honour of the late soldier.
Read also: Major Mahama’s endowment fund bill to be laid in Parliament – Minister
By Isaac Essel | 3news.com | Ghana