Aker Energy, GNPC support 150 students

Parents, students, community leaders and representatives from the oil sector attended an event in Takoradi in the Western Region to witness the award of a record number of scholarships by Aker Energy-GNPC to 150 promising youth in the region’s coastal districts.

The Aker Energy-GNPC Scholarships are awarded to academically promising students from low-income backgrounds to further their education in Senior High School (SHS) or Nursing School.

They are provided with pocket money and basic school items.

The scholarship also offers students support in the form of mentoring, follow-ups and career counseling.

“We, in Aker, believe that this programme with its slogan ties in directly with our long term ambitions in Ghana: ‘Developing Local Talent.’ I must say that I am proud to see what has been achieved and how the programme has contributed over the past years. I am sure that this year’s 150 students – up from 125 last year – Aker Energy-GNPC scholars are blazing a trail that will benefit Ghana in coming years,” Jan Helge Skogen, the Country Manager of Aker Energy, said.

The scholarship programme, previously known as the Hess-GNPC Scholarship and supported by licensed partners Fuel Trade and Luk Oil, has this year been extended and repackaged as the Aker-GNPC Scholarship following Aker Energy’s acquisition of Hess Ghana in February.

This year, the programme has offered scholarships to a record number of students, and has instituted a more comprehensive follow-up system for each student through the pastoral care component of the programme.

Petroleum Commission, represented at the launch by Kwadjo Asare Kyei, commended Aker Energy and GNPC, for taking their social responsibility towards communities in Western Region so seriously.

Traditional and community leaders at the launch were delighted to see the youth being supported and getting access to education so that they can fully participate in the growing oil and gas sector in Ghana.

Nana Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II, President of the Western Region House of Chiefs, expressed gratitude for the programme and urged the students to take advantage of the opportunities, saying “You have a lot of opportunities ahead of you.”

His words were echoed by the Western Regional Minister, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, who was also present at the launch.

Sandra Odoom is a final-year student from Nsein Senior High School, one of the partner schools, and has an ambition of pursuing a law degree upon her graduation.