Ayim Foundation sets up scholarship

... for brilliant journalists

The Ferdinand Ofori-Ayim Foundation yesterday (17 May) presented a cheque of ¢10 million to the Ghana Institute of Journalism for the award of the Best Journalism (Print) Student prize, which from September this year will be known as the Ferdinand O Ayim Award.

Making the presentation in a short ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports and a trustee of the Foundation, O B Amoah said family and friends of the late Ferdinand Ayim set up the Foundation in May 2006 shortly after his tragic death on April 5.

As part of the programmes for the first anniversary of Freddie's death, the Minister of Tourism and presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey is the key note speaker for the maiden Ferdinand O Ayim Memorial Lectures, which takes place this evening at the Britih Council auditorium.

The programme will be chaired by another cabinet minister and presidential aspirant, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang. Jake"s speech will be about patriotism and leadership.

On Sunday, a memorial service will be held at the Ridge Church, Accra, at 2pm. After which a reception will take place at the same venue.

The Foundation, O B said, is aimed at also instituting an educational and health scheme for the children and widow of Ferdinand Ayim, and to publish his writings and works. A book, called I Shall Return, a compilation of some of Freddie’s writings, will be launched at the British Council.

According to O B Amoah, the best way of honouring Ferdinand Ayim’s memory was to set up the Foundation. He urged Ghanaians to donate to the Foundation, the trustees of which include Edward Boateng, CEO of Global Media Alliance, Eric Addo-Mensah of KEK, Charles Nimako, MD of Beverage Investments Ghana Ltd, producers of Pepsi, and Kwasi Ankamah of the Office of the President. O B noted that Ferdinand Ayim died in the line of duty due to his dedication to service to country.

In a response to the scholarship award, the Director of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Kweku Rockson, expressed his happiness about the presentation, noting that the usual prizes given to award-winning students are insignificant. "¢10 million is really going to do something for us," he emphasised.

Mr Rockson further observed that Freddie was a highly professional man who dedicated his life to journalism and played a distinguished role in his political life in promoting and developing the tourism industry in Ghana. Ferdinand Ofori-Ayim until his death was the Special Assistant to the Minister of Tourism and the Modernisation of the Capital City and was also a former Chief Correspondent of The Statesman newspaper.

Other members of the Foundation are Augustina Ayim, and Asare Otchere-Darko, Editor-In-Chief of The Statesman.

Present at the ceremony were Frimpong Manso, Dean of Students, GIJ; Matthew McKwame, an Administration Secretary of GIJ and PRO of the GJA; Bright Blewu, GJA General Secretary and other friends of the media.