Woman becomes first Ghanaian to be British Chevening-Mansion House scholar

Ms Barbara Ackonor becomes the first Ghanaian to receive UK’s Chevening-Mansion House Scholarship.

Barbara Ackonor, Operations Supervisor at Fidelity Bank was announced last week as the 2013/14 Chevening-Mansion House Scholar.

“Ms. Ackonor is the first Ghanaian to receive the highly prized joint Chevening-Mansion House Scholarship,” the British High Commission in Accra said in a statement.

According to the High Commission, Ackonor will receive a scholarship worth £23,000 which is jointly funded by Chevening (£15,400) and Mansion House (£7,500) to study an MSc in Finance at the Durham University.

Chevening scholarships are designed for graduates who are already established in their careers and show real leadership potential. Whilst Mansion House Scholarship Scheme are for young business executives to travel to the United Kingdom to study or to undertake training or work experience, specifically in the financial services sector.

Presenting the award, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Roger Gifford, congratulated Ms. Ackonor for placing first in the highly competitive scholarship programme.

An elated Barbara Ackonor pledged to return home to put the new knowledge to good use.

By Ekow Quandzie