The Upper West Regional Chief Imam Educational Endowment Fund has released GH¢138,536 to support 61 academically promising yet financially disadvantaged students pursuing tertiary education across Ghana for the 2026/27 academic year.
The number of beneficiaries has risen from 44 last year, an increase of 38.64 percent, the Secretary to the Fund, Dr Saeed Moomin, said at a press conference held in the forecourt of the Chief Imam’s residence in Wa.
Established in October 2022, the fund selects recipients through academic assessments, interviews to gauge financial need and home verification visits. For some, the assistance has been the difference between continuing their studies and putting them on hold.
“Due to this wonderful programme, wonderful foundation, I am able, let me say, in a few months to come, I will be calling myself a graduate,” said Ibrahim Salim, a Level 400 Political Science student at UBIDS. Amatus Ahmed, a Diploma in Business Studies student at UBIDS, added that the initiative offered a lifeline to young people from rural communities who struggle to secure financial aid. Ayisha Yahaya, a Level 300 Basic Education student at Nusrat Jahan Ahmadiyya College of Education, also expressed gratitude for the continued support that has helped her progress through her studies.
Stakeholders at the event urged beneficiaries to make good use of the assistance and contribute to the fund when they are able. Former Wa Municipal Chief Executive Tahiru Issahaku Moomin described poverty as a “common enemy” that holds back regional development, while Wa Senior High School Headmaster Adams Iddrisu Thirdman cautioned students against diverting the money to other purposes and encouraged them to excel academically to sustain the initiative for future beneficiaries.
Upper West Bar Association President Siddique Obeidu praised the fund for investing in the region’s human capital, noting that expanding educational opportunities for vulnerable young people could help reduce their risk of turning to armed robbery or drug abuse. He added that the fund provides a dependable platform for citizens to support education and contribute to regional development.
As the fund continues to grow, beneficiaries and stakeholders alike anticipate further support for students across the country in the coming academic year.
