Tano North MCE awards scholarships to 80 tertiary students, secures support for 40 more

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tano North, Pius Sampson Opoku, in a major boost to human capital development in the area, on Friday awarded educational scholarships to 80 tertiary students pursuing higher education across key academic disciplines, with a primary focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Speaking at the engagement and presentation ceremony in Duayaw-Nkwanta, Mr Opoku emphasized that investing in the municipality’s youth remains the single most impactful strategy for long-term regional development.

He expressed deep satisfaction in fulfilling his commitment to support brilliant but needy students. He emphasized his firm belief that financial challenges should never stand as a barrier to academic excellence or force talented young individuals to abandon their aspirations.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I strongly believe that financial challenges should never be a barrier to academic excellence or a reason why a brilliant child should abandon his or her dreams.

It is against this conviction that I committed to support brilliant but needy students from Tano North Municipality." Pius Sampson Opoku, Tano North MCE

Beyond his direct personal initiative, the MCE revealed that the Tano North Municipal Assembly successfully collaborated with the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat to secure funding for over 40 additional tertiary students, bringing the total number of beneficiaries supported in this cycle to over 120.

Mr Opoku noted that this dual effort aligns directly with the national development policy of the NDC Government under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, which places human capital expansion, technical skills acquisition, and equal opportunities at the core of national transformation.

Addressing the student awardees directly, the MCE charged them to view the scholarships not merely as financial relief, but as a commitment to their communities.

He emphasized that they carry the hopes and aspirations of their families, their communities, and the entire Tano North Municipality, challenging the students to dream bigger and not allow their current backgrounds to limit their potential.

He noted that among the beneficiaries seated at the event were future engineers, medical professionals, scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, and national leaders, stating that the only true limitation is how hard they are willing to work toward their goals.

As part of the interactive ceremony, the MCE invited the students to share their academic ambitions, detail expected challenge areas, and outline concrete ways they intend to give back to Tano North upon completing their studies, establishing a foundation for a lasting relationship between the beneficiaries and the Assembly.

Student beneficiaries expressed relief and renewed enthusiasm for their studies following the presentation.

For recipients such as Latifa Abubakar, an MPhil student in Physiology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and Blessing Frimpong Appiah, a student pursuing Information Technology at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), the scholarship serves as a vital morale booster that alleviates financial stress and allows them to focus fully on their academic pursuits.

The MCE reassured the gathering of the Municipal Assembly's unwavering commitment to reducing educational inequalities and ensuring no brilliant but needy student is left behind.

He underscored that the future of Tano North will be built through deliberate investments in the skills and talents of its youth, assuring the awardees that their ultimate success is a success for the entire municipality.