Sopuruchi Onwuka

The University of Energy and Natural Resources has partnered with key industry players to launch the Rosemary Atakora Memorial Scholarship Scheme, an initiative designed to support academically gifted but financially disadvantaged undergraduate students.

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The scholarship, established under the auspices of the Rosemary Atakora Foundation, was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 26 January 2026. The agreement brings together UENR, BOST Energies, Headspace Limited, and AOW:Energy.

Under the arrangement, AOW:Energy declared in a statement, the partners will provide full undergraduate scholarships to 15 students from Level 200 through to completion of their studies. The package covers tuition and accommodation and is structured to ensure continuity of support throughout the beneficiaries’ academic journey.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Deputy Managing Director of BOST Energies, Ms. Adwoa Serwaa Bondzie, the Chief Executive Officer of Headspace Limited, Mr. Nana Obeng Yeboah, and Ms. Afua Boakye, Ghana Office Manager of AOW:Energy, who represented the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Paul Sinclair. The partners described the initiative as more than financial assistance, emphasizing that it is an investment in human potential and national development.

For Ms. Bondzie, the scholarship is both personal and purposeful. She explained that the initiative is rooted in the legacy of her late mother, Rosemary Atakora, a respected career teacher and philanthropist known for helping numerous children through school. According to her, her mother believed strongly that education is the great equaliser and consistently worked to ensure that financial hardship did not prevent young people from accessing learning opportunities.

Reflecting on her own upbringing in Asante Mampong and her academic journey to the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Ms. Bondzie noted that lack of financial support often cuts short the ambitions of brilliant students, especially young women. She described the scholarship scheme as a tribute to her mother’s lifelong commitment to education and a deliberate effort to bridge opportunity gaps for deserving students.

UENR’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, welcomed the partnership and expressed appreciation to the sponsoring organizations. He said the scholarship would significantly impact the lives of beneficiaries and assured stakeholders that the university would administer the scheme with transparency and accountability.

Also present at the ceremony were Dr. Yaw Akyampon Boakye-Ansah, representing the university, and Mr. Emmanuel Kpogo, representing the partners. Both have been designated as co-administrators and primary points of contact for the implementation and coordination of the scheme.

Beyond tuition and accommodation, the scholarship adopts a broader development approach. Beneficiaries will receive mentorship, career guidance, and professional exposure. As part of this commitment, AOW:Energy has pledged to include selected scholars, particularly those in petroleum, geoscience, and energy-related disciplines, in the AOW:Energy 2026 Conference scheduled for September in Accra. The students will participate in conference activities, interact with industry leaders, and contribute to selected panel sessions.

The scholarship targets students pursuing Petroleum Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, Geoinformation Science, Information Technology, and Nursing. It places strong emphasis on female participation, reflecting the partners’ commitment to gender inclusion and capacity building in critical sectors.

The Rosemary Atakora Memorial Scholarship Scheme represents a growing model of collaboration between academia and industry in Ghana. By aligning educational support with professional exposure and sector relevance, the initiative aims not only to transform individual lives but also to strengthen the country’s human capital base for long-term development.