Pecan Energies has announced the awarding of full scholarships worth GH¢5.5 million to 70 students for the 2023/24 academic year.
These scholarships, provided through the Pecan Inspire Scholarship Program (PISP), are specifically aimed at supporting outstanding students from low-income households. With the addition of these 70 new recipients, the total number of beneficiaries now stands at 141.
The PISP covers various expenses, including full tuition and lodging fees, provision of a laptop for academic work, a semester stipend, and participation in student development programs such as career and skills training. Additionally, recipients will benefit from mentoring and academic advising to support their educational journey.
“Our commitment at Pecan Energies to investing in education as a tool to unlocking prosperity remains unflinching.
“We have new owners in Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) who share this commitment and are ready to make the necessary investments so more young people can get the skills they need to contribute to Ghana’s economic development.
“We will continue to prioritise investments in building capacity in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
“We do this knowing full well that we are yet to commence oil production. While we make good progress towards first oil, we remain acutely aware that the education of these brilliant young men and women cannot wait,” said Kadijah Amoah, CEO of Pecan Energies Ghana Limited.
The PISP remains the flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative for Pecan Energies and its license partners: Lukoil Overseas Ghana Tano Limited, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), and Fueltrade Limited.
This program is designed to enhance access to tertiary education for Ghanaians. It replaced the Pecan Energies Senior High School Scholarship program, which fully funded the education of over a thousand high school students at schools of their choice.
For the 2023/2024 academic year, at least 40% of the selected beneficiaries are female. One such beneficiary is Jennifer Apingu, whose inspiring story went viral last year. Jennifer worked as a head porter (Kayayo) to fund her Senior High School education. The PISP aims to support individuals like Jennifer in pursuing their educational aspirations and achieving their full potential.
Despite representing her school in the prestigious National Science and Maths Quiz and her excellent grades, she was forced to work in a “drinking spot” in Navrongo in Ghana’s Upper East Region with little hope of pursuing her dream of becoming a pharmacist.
“I am exceedingly happy I can now pursue my dream. Pecan Energies has paid my fees, and I am now looking forward to working hard to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Health and Allied Sciences,” noted Jennifer.