Four Ghanaians receive British Chevening Scholarships

Four Ghanaians were on Tuesday presented with British Chevening Scholarships awards totalling £100,500 to undertake post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom.

The highly-prized Chevening scholarships are designed for graduates already established in their careers and show real leadership potential.

The scholarship enables recipients develop their careers to enable them to contribute effectively to their country’s development.

The four were selected from a pool of 725 applicants. Each received between £23,500 and £24,500.

Baafour Kwaku Otu, an entrepreneur, will be studying for a Masters of Business Administration in Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University; Ato Wilson, a Civil engineer will study for a Master of Science degree in Oil and Gas Management at Coventry University; Rachel Adamu-Amanful, a lawyer, will be studying for an MSc in Law at the London School of Economics; and Collins Appiah, Head of Research Department of Gold Coast Securities Limited, will study for an MSc in Economics and International Financial Economics at Warwick University.

Mr Peter Jones, British High Commissioner to Ghana who handed over checks to the recipients at a ceremony at the British High Commission in Accra, reminded them of their obligation to return to Ghana to contribute towards the country’s socio-economic development.

“You cannot do everything on your return, but you can do something……Find that something and do it expertly with your newly acquired UK higher education,” he said.

The objective of Chevening is to build a strong network of friends of the UK around the world who are expected to rise to increasingly influential positions over the years. Scholarships are prioritized towards major emerging markets and countries in political transition.

Some 222 Ghanaians have benefited from the Chevening programmes since its inception; and the focus of the 2011 awards is on economic development and investment promotion; security and conflict resolution; and oil and gas.

Mr Ato Wilson on behalf of the recipients expressed appreciation to the British government for the Scholarships, promising that they would utilize the opportunity to support the development of Ghana.

The awards include a monthly stipend; travel cost to the UK; arrival allowance, including an element for warm clothing; departure allowance, including an allowance for excess baggage; academic fees and thesis allowance.

Source: GNA