The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) has awarded full scholarships worth ₵460,000 to 45 brilliant but financially disadvantaged female students of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa. The support comes under MIIF’s flagship Women from Mining Communities (WomCoM) initiative, launched in June 2024 to promote gender equity in Ghana’s extractive sector.
The WomCoM programme is part of MIIF’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda to empower academically gifted young women from mining communities to pursue studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), and mining-related fields.
This year, 43 undergraduates each received ₵10,000, while two postgraduates were awarded ₵15,000 each to cover tuition, accommodation, and related expenses. According to MIIF, more than 100 applications were submitted, but only 45 were selected following a competitive and transparent vetting process conducted by a five-member steering committee made up of MIIF and UMaT representatives.
At the award ceremony, MIIF’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Justina Nelson, represented by Ahafo Ano South-East MP, Mr. Yakubu Mohammed, underscored the Fund’s commitment to driving real transformation in mining communities.
“Our goal is not to provide partial help; we are here to make real impact. Beyond financial support, we are lifting burdens, raising aspirations, and changing narratives in communities that have often been left behind,” she said.
Mrs. Nelson commended UMaT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Richard Amankwah, for his leadership and praised the Steering Committee for upholding transparency in the selection process. She also announced plans to extend the scheme to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to reach more female students.
The MIIF CEO acknowledged the contributions of OmniBSIC Bank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, First Atlantic Bank, First Bank, and Procus Ghana Limited (makers of Kivo products) for supporting the initiative, while urging other corporate bodies to partner in scaling up the programme.
Encouraging the beneficiaries, Mrs. Nelson noted that they were selected not only for their academic excellence but also as symbols of hope and role models for other young women in mining communities.
On his part, UMaT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Richard Amankwah, praised MIIF’s intervention, stressing that while natural resources are exhaustible, human capital development yields lasting impact. He appealed for sustained corporate support to expand the scholarship scheme.
Now in its second year, the WomCoM scholarship programme is positioning itself as a key driver of female participation in Ghana’s mining value chain, bridging the gap in STEM education and shaping the next generation of leaders in the extractive sector.
By Bawa Musah
Leave a Comment