Two hundred and twenty tertiary students from the Asuogyaman Constituency have received financial support from the Member of Parliament, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, in an intervention many beneficiaries describe as a “lifeline” that has rescued their academic dreams.
Both first year and continuing students, drawn from various communities in the constituency received cheques ranging between GHC2,000 and GHC5,000, depending on their individual academic needs and fee requirements.
The support is part of the MP’s Tertiary Education Support Programme, now in its fourth year, aimed at assisting both fresh and continuing students facing financial hardship.
For many of the beneficiaries, the assistance comes at a critical time, as rising tuition and living costs continue to force qualified students nationwide to defer or abandon their education.
According to Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), preliminary monitoring of the 2025 WASSCE results and tertiary admissions indicates that only about 160,000 students are expected to gain admission for the 2025/26 academic year, a significant drop from the estimated 195,000 last year. Eduwatch has warned that financial constraints remain a major barrier, threatening Ghana’s goal of increasing gross tertiary enrolment to 40% by 2030.
In Asuogyaman, beneficiaries say the MP’s intervention is directly countering this trend.
Many students recounted years of struggle, explaining that without the support, continuing their education would have been nearly impossible. Some revealed they combine studies with menial jobs just to survive on campus.
One beneficiary, Dzawu Victor, a Level 400 Bachelor of Arts English Language Education student at the University of Education, Winneba, shared his ordeal.
“Pursuing a bachelor’s degree is not easy. I struggle to pay my fees, buy textbooks, and even feed myself. When I don’t have lectures or on weekends, I work as a mason’s labourer. I also do farm work and any job that can help me survive on campus. I’m not ashamed of any work. This support has really given me hope,” he said.
Confirming the impact of the initiative, the Asuogyaman District Director of Education, Madam Augustina Adwoa Owusu, noted that for years, many brilliant but needy students in the district were unable to progress beyond secondary school due to financial difficulties.
As a result, several joined their parents in fishing and other economic activities instead of pursuing higher education.
She said the MP’s sustained intervention is changing that narrative.
“This support is helping in a very long way. From basic to tertiary level, our children struggle to fend for themselves. With this intervention, students now have hope to pursue higher education, and enrolment from the district has increased,” she stated.
Speaking on behalf of the MP, his Special Assistant, Karim Awudu, reaffirmed Hon.Thomas Nyarko Ampem’s commitment to education, describing it as a powerful tool for transforming lives and securing the future of the constituency.
“This initiative reflects my firm belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to pursue higher education without being held back by financial barriers,” the MP said in a statement.
He explained that the programme is funded through the MP’s share of the MPs’ Common Fund and the District Assemblies Common Fund, with millions of Ghana cedis already invested to ease the burden of tuition, accommodation, and other academic-related expenses, especially for students from less privileged backgrounds.
The presentation ceremony, held on Friday, January 16, 2026, was attended by the District Chief Executive, Hon. Godwin Bobobee, the Asuogyaman Constituency Chairman, Hon. Bright Sikanku, parents, guardians, and other key stakeholders.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
