Students from Elon University give scholarships to three students from Sokode

Students from Elon University, North Carolina, USA, have given full scholarships to three students from the Sokode Traditional area. Under the package, two of the students would have their scholarships renewed every year till they complete their tertiary education in Ghana. Professor Brain Digre, also known as Togbe Dake I, leader of a group of students on study tour to Sokode, disclosed this at a durbar held in his honour. He said the scholarship was to enhance education in the area and encourage pupils and students to excel in their academics. Students from Elon University have for the past ten years been supporting the Sokode community with educational materials and infrastructure. This year, apart from the scholarship package, they also brought 500 pieces of mosquito nets to be sold at very moderate prices to people in the community and the money ploughed into development activities in the area. They also gave GHc2,200 to the community for the completion of a nursery project initiated by a student from the University. The students also presented footballs, school bags and books to pupils and students in the area. Captain George Nfodjo (Rtd), Member of Parliament for Ho Central who initiated the relationship between the University and the community, commended the visiting American students for their support. He, however, chastised young people in the community for not coming out for communal labour when students from Idaho University also in the USA had volunteered to work on a project in the community. Capt. Nfodjo catalogued his support to the Constituency including the payment of school fees totalling about GHc30,000 last year for brilliant but needy students and provision of building materials to schools and communities. He said his focus was now on education and economic empowerment of people in the Constituency, especially in cocoa farming and poultry and urged young people to form cooperatives and come for support. Mr Joseph Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister, expressed gratitude to students of Elon University for the support and said government was appreciative of the initiative. He reiterated government’s commitment to education but said it needed support from the private sector. Mr Amenowode urged the community to revive its communal spirit. Togbe Fiakoku II, Paramount Chief of Sokode Traditional Area, expressed gratitude to the University of Elon, adding that the community needed a library, an ICT centre and a computer laboratory.