The Registrar, Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, Dr Kingsley Agyemang, has revealed that, under the current leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the number of Ghanaian students allocated scholarships to study in Morocco has gone up from 45 to 90 each academic year with 20 specifically focused on TVET.
He made this statement when chairing the 10th Anniversary Honourary Ceremony of the Ghana Morocco Old Students Association (GHAMOSA) held at the British Council Hall in Accra.
The theme for the occasion was, “Celebrating 10 years of Promoting Regional Integration Through Students Youth Diplomacy”.
The ceremony was to honour the vital role played by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of the Kingdom of Morocco and Ghana’s former President, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor who paved the way for many students from Ghana to further their education in Morocco in various fields of study including Healthcare, Engineering, Agricultural Science, Transport Management, Social Science among others.
The theme he indicated, sought to recognise and celebrate personalities and institutions who had in diverse ways contributed to the solid relations between Ghana and Morocco academically.
Dr Agyemang also, reiterated the strong desire of the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat to continue to support Ghanaian students to develop the human capital of the country.
He was impressed with how the Association, over the past ten years, has undertaken a number of very important activities like conferences, fora, exhibitions, festivals and summits.
With regards to how best to ensure the maximization of human capital of Ghanaian students who study in Morocco, Dr Agyemang emphasised how CIMAF Ghana cement factory and OCP Group, producers of fertilizers, both Moroccan companies established in Ghana can use students who had the opportunity to train in Morocco as their first port of call when looking for labour.
“This call was supported by Anas Sefriouim, owner of CIMAF cement, who expressed the readiness of the company to collaborate more with scholars from Ghana”.
He however, tasked Ghanaian students in other parts of the world to form unions among themselves in order to seek their collective interest.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, in a speech read on her behalf, also called for more South-South cooperation in order for countries to be collectively self-reliant and attain internationally agreed development goals including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana, H.E Imane Quaadil, for her part assured her country’s readiness to partner with Ghana in other areas of interest.
She also praised Ghanaian students in Morocco for exhibiting good behaviour in the course of their studies.
GHAMOSA President, Mr Peter Panyin Anaman, commended the Ghana Government for heeding to the needs of not only students in Morocco, but other parts of the world with the assurance that the needful would be done to ensure that they become good citizens for Ghana wherever they find themselves.
“I must use this opportunity to commend all former Ghana’s Ambassadors to Morocco who have played key roles in ensuring a successful story today as far as GHAMOSA is concerned. Mention can be made of Amb. Kobina Annan (former Ghana’s Ambassador to Morocco 2002-2009), Amb. Clifford Kotey (Former Ghana’s Ambassador to Morocco 2009-2013), Amb. Stephen M.D Yakubu (Ghana’s Ambassador to Morocco 2013-2020), Amb. Jonathan Magnusen (Ghana’s Ambassador to Niger and former Consular of the Embassy of Ghana, Morocco), the late Francis Kumah (former Ghana’s Consul of the Embassy of Ghana), Mr Amidu Mohammed Karande (Minister-Counsellor, Embassy of Ghana, Washington DC, USA & former Ghana’s Consul of the Embassy of Ghana), Mr Sharif Abdul Latif Yushawlatif (Ghana’s Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Ghana, Niger & Former Consul of The Embassy Of Ghana) and Mr Clarence K. H. Tamakloe, (former Ghana’s Consular Officer to Morocco”.
Ghana Morocco Old Students Association (GHAMOSA) has over the years strengthened and promoted co-operation between Ghana and Morocco by contributing to national development and support for GHAMOSA members.
