The Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has donated GH₵105,000 to cover the academic fees of 33 members of the Volta Students Association at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The gesture, aimed at supporting students from the Volta Region facing financial challenges, was presented during a brief ceremony at the Minority Leader’s Office in Parliament on Wednesday, September 9, 2025.

Addressing the students, Afenyo-Markin shared his personal experiences with financial hardships as a student, recounting how he relied on a bursary and worked night shifts at a care home in the UK to fund his education.

“Life has never been easy. It is rough, but with determination and faith in God, no danger can ensue,” he said.

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He encouraged the students, urging them not to give up despite the challenges.

He referenced Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s ‘Weep Not, Child’ to inspire resilience, assuring the students that their hard work could lead them to becoming MPs, ministers, or successful businesspeople.

“To the 33 of you, young men and women, I want you to know I’m offering a helping hand. Take advantage of it, learn, build capacity, and move on. Life has never been easy — it’s rough — but with determination and faith in God, trust me, no danger can ensue,” he said.

He cautioned against misuse of the funds, citing past experiences where similar support was abused.

Afenyo-Markin also pledged ongoing support, encouraged the students to knock on his door for further assistance as he remains committed to supporting their efforts.

Reflecting on his mixed Ewe and Fante heritage, the MP expressed pride in supporting Voltarian students.

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“It’s a great pride for me to support one of my own. Those of us with mixed blood — my dad, a pure Ewe man from Nyakrom and Anomabo, and my mom, a Fante woman from Winneba — had two of us: my big sister and me. I’m a Fante and Ewe boy. Sometimes, people say, ‘Why does your Fante side take over?’ I say, ‘Well, from Winneba, I was sent to Tsito to live with my grandma for a while, then brought back. I couldn’t find anyone to speak Ewe with at St Augustine’s, so, don’t blame me.’ But I still remember home, and it’s a great sense of pride to be among my own Voltarians,” MP said.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, the leadership of the Volta Students Association of the University Ghana expressed appreciation to the Minority Leader for his support.



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