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10.11.2008 Education

TICO awards $20,000 scholarships to 100 beneficiaries

10.11.2008 LISTEN
By Alfred Adam & Zam R. Samin Takoradi - Ghanaian Chronicle

THE Management of the Takoradi International Company (TICO), an energy- generating industry, has expressed its commitment to providing total quality education in its catchments area.

Consequently, the company has provided scholarships to one hundred students from the basic, Senior High and tertiary institutions, to pursue various courses in their academic endeavours, at a total cost of US$20,000. The beneficiaries are all from the surrounding communities, where the company operates.

The scholarship scheme falls under the Kramer Scholarship Programme (KSP) set up by the first General Manager of TICO and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Kramer, both US citizens.

Larry Kramer, who had retired as first General Manager of the company, established the scholarship programme seven years ago with a seed capital of US$1,000.

What was significant about this 2008/09 Kramer Scholarship Scheme was the fact that, unlike the previous year where the beneficiaries were only 68, this time round, the beneficiaries increased to a total of 100.

Speaking at the presentation of the awards, the General Manager of TICO, Mr. Osafo Adjei, noted that his company was committed to providing quality and standard education in the communities where it operates, hence the scholarship awards.

He expressed the hope that the students would learn, and become number one citizens in their respective careers, to take over the development of their communities.

Mr. Richard N. A. Badger, Director of Thermal Generation of the Volta River Authority (VRA), noted that he was delighted, because over the years his company and TICO had sought to improve the social and economic lives of the peoples in their surrounding communities.

With this award, according to him, TICO had consistently displayed that it held in high esteem, the value of education of the youth in the communities.

This is because, “It is the youth who will provide the leadership in these communities. It is the youth who will develop the communities, and shape up the policies to improve on the living standards of the people.

“Education is the only long term asset and gift one could give out. It is the surest security you could get in life and asset no one could take from you.”

To him, the VRA recognised that education was the key to the development of any group of people, and support in this area needed encouragement from all quarters.

“TICO shares this philosophy as well, and it is hoped that by this scheme, we will have inhabitants of surrounding communities turning out as engineers to work here.”

He congratulated the recipients of the awards saying, “It is your performance that has made you beneficiaries of the scheme. Do not rest on your oars, continue to study hard so that the scheme can help you through your education, make you better people, and improve upon your lives.”

...And wins best environmental practice award

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has presented the Best Environmental Practice Award to the management of Takoradi International Company (TICO), at a short ceremony.

The Regional Director of the EPA, Madam Irene Heathcote, who presented the award, noted that the company won the award for the corporate division, which was instituted by the EPA.

The award, which was accompanied by a citation, read “You have demonstrated a high level of compliance with respect to environmental laws. We wish to reward you for this environmental management practice you have been observing. We honor you for your continual commitment to good environmental stewardship in your catchments area.”

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