The Trust Fund launched the tertiary education Grant in 2019 where 40 students, were selected to be beneficiaries under the scheme. This year, 40 additional students have been selected to benefit from the fund.
The 40 students who were selected from the Obuasi Municipality, Obuasi East, Amansie Central and Adansi North districts would each be given GHc1000 this year to support their tertiary education. All 40 students are in the first year at their various tertiary institutions.
Edmund Oduro Adjei from Anglogold Ashanti’s Sustainability Department revealed that the Mine was supporting students at the senior high school level but when SHS education became free in 2017 they decided to move the support to students at the tertiary level.
Honorable Elijah Adansi Bonnah, the Obuasi MCE praised the mine for the support but suggested that the communities that the students are coming from should be considered when awarding the scholarship.
“Someone coming from a rural area might get aggregate 20 but could be better than someone in an urban area with aggregate 12. But since the limit is at least an aggregate 12, that student from the rural area is automatically disqualified from the scholarship scheme. I think you need to do something about it” he said.
Emmanuel Mensah from the Obuasi West Education Directorate who represented the Director of Education, Regina Teni said the directorate is happy for the support given. He also advised the students to make Obuasi proud by taking their lessons seriously to make the scholarship worth its purpose.
The AGA – Obuasi Community Trust Fund exists to make investments in a way that contributes meaningfully to community development, aligns with the priorities of communities and local government. This undeniably promotes a positive relationship between AngloGold Ashanti and the communities.
The Trust Fund in 2015 launched a similar scheme for SHS students of which 100 students from the mining communities were beneficiaries until the introduction of the Government’s Free SHS policy.