The Member of Parliament for Wa East, Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, has invested a total of GH¢254,479.95 in 41 beneficiaries under the Wa East Students Tertiary Education Support Scheme (WESTESS), aimed at addressing the shortage of skilled professionals in the district.

The beneficiaries are students pursuing specialised programmes in law, medicine, engineering, computer science, laboratory technology, pharmacy, and physician assistantship at public tertiary institutions across the country.

According to Dr. Jasaw, Wa East currently lacks professionals in several of these critical fields, making deliberate investment in human capital essential to transforming the district’s development prospects.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony at his residence, the MP charged the scholars to prioritise academic excellence, remain disciplined, and return to serve the district upon completion of their studies.

Dr. Jasaw explained that while 41 applicants qualified for the scholarship, 21 beneficiaries encountered minor challenges with their application documents, which delayed the issuance of their cheques.

He assured that the Finance Department of the Wa East District Assembly would engage the affected students to facilitate the necessary corrections.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, Emmanuel, a law student at the University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Wa, expressed profound gratitude to the MP, describing the initiative as unprecedented in the history of Wa East.

He noted that the payment of their academic fees had significantly reduced their financial burden and pledged the beneficiaries’ collective commitment to excel academically and contribute meaningfully to the development of the district in the future.

The WESTESS initiative is expected to strengthen the district’s human resource base and play a key role in bridging the skills gap critical to Wa East’s long-term development.