The United Bank for Africa Ghana Ltd. has presented an educational grant of US$10,000 to the top three winners of the 2021 National Essay Competition organised annually by the UBA Foundation.

This year, a student from the Ghana Senior High School Koforidua (GHANAS), Amanor Yohunor emerged the winner, while Michael Kissi Asrifi from Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School (Legon) and Adamu Ayishatu from Presbyterian Senior High Technical School, Aburi emerged as the first runner up and the second runner up respectively.

The winner bagged the ultimate $5,000 prize with first runner-up and second runner-up bagging $3,000 and $2000 respectively.

Out of the 10 finalists, seven were females. This has been a significant rise in the number of female participation from the previous year.

The awards will allow them to attend any university of their choice in Africa.

The other seven finalists were; Khan-Arthur Evans Wilberforce - ST. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School, Fredrick Acheampong - Presbyterian Boys Secondary, Emmanuella Haizel - Presbyterian Senior High Technical School, Fhalila Haruna - VICAR TRUST, Ruby Naa Dzagbley Abbey – St Mary’s SHS Accra, Jessica Narkie Batsa - St. Rose's Senior High School, Akwatia, and Ernestina Davis - Wesley Girls High School.

Each of the 10 finalists received a UBA branded Laptop and Certificate of Participation as a recognition for the bold step taken to participate in the competition and making it to the final stage.

The 8th edition of the National Essay Competition recorded over three hundred applications from schools across the Country.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony on Monday, the Deputy Managing Director of UBA Ghana, Mrs. Sylvia Inkoom congratulated all 10 finalists and encouraged them to utilise the platform given to them to excel in their academic pursuits.

“At UBA we prioritise education, as it is a core aspect of our Corporate Social Investment and we are very committed to the area of education of the African in a bid to further transform the continent. As we celebrate Valentine’s Day today, this is our love gift to these brilliant students for making it this far in the competition,” Mrs Inkoom said.

Mrs Inkoom also congratulated all finalists of the competition especially the top three and advised them to focus on their education and also read wide for extended knowledge to realise their academic aspirations.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Education thanked UBA for the consistency in undertaking this project. He expressed his excitement about the huge investment that the Bank is making in the young ones.

“I have been informed that your price package for this year comes to ¢66,500 for the top three winners. I want to commend UBA again for this initiative. With the three new students that would be awarded today, it will bring the total number of beneficiaries to 24,” he said.

Director General at the Ghana Education Service, Prof Kwasi Opoku Amankwa said UBA deserves to be applauded for their commitment to partnering with the Ghana Education Service over the last eight years to organise the National Essay Competition.

“In addition to the significant quantum of funds they have devoted every year to pay for the scholarships for the winning students and ensuring that every winner of the competition attains the highest education possible in Ghana and on the continent of Africa, the NEC has generated quite a healthy interest among students to compete in and win,” he said.

The National Essay Competition, a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of UBA Foundation after its launch in Ghana in 2014, has provided a competitive platform to develop the intellectual and writing abilities of SHS students in Ghana as well as granting winners fully paid scholarship into any University in Africa.