Accra, Sept. 9, GNA - Four Ghanaians and a Senegalese have been awarded the British Chevening scholarship to pursue one-year post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom (UK). They are Ebenezer Amankwah from CITI FM, Rubby Mensah, a pharmacist at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Selom Kofi Dake of the All African Students Union, Linda Nyanor of Newmont Ghana Limited, and Roland Kone, a Senegalese.

They would leave for the UK this month to undertake studies in subjects ranging from design to e-commerce.

An official statement issued by the British High Commission in Accra on Wednesday, quoted Dr Nick Westcott, British High Commissioner to Ghana, as saying at a reception to bid the group farewell that the scholars had the potential to play an important role in the continuing social, economic and political development of the country. "They should be an important element of Ghana's future. They are people of whom Ghana can be rightly proud," he added. The United Kingdom has sponsored more than 200 Ghanaian Chevening scholars at a total cost of about Three Million Pounds Sterling or approximately GH¢7.2 billion for the past 25 years.

The statement said the aim of the British Chevening Scholarship scheme was to assist the scholars to become useful to their countries. It said preference was given to candidates already established in a career, with proven academic skills and with the prospect of becoming leaders in their chosen fields. It said scholars should also be committed to return to their country and contribute to its socio-economic development through implementing the new skills and knowledge acquired in the UK. "Most scholarships are for one year Master's courses, but awards may also be given for shorter vocational courses lasting between three and six months," the statement added. Since its inception in 1983 as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Scholarships and Awards Scheme, the Chevening programme has provided more than 40,000 scholarships to students in over 150 countries. About 1,000 applicants competed for the five places this year in Ghana. 9 Sept. 09