The students were selected from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Ghana (UG), the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the University for Development Studies (UDS).

Under the package, the bank, in collaboration with the Old Mutual Ghana (an insurance company), Emirates Airlines and Woodin (a fashion company), has provided $1,000 (GH¢5,300) per student to support their expenses for the external training programme.

At a ceremony to present the sponsorship package on Wednesday in Accra, the Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana, Mr Daniel Sackey, said this year, Emirates Airlines and Woodin would provide special discounts on air tickets (up to 30 per cent) and warm clothing to the selected students.

Gratitude

“We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our partners. We appreciate you for joining us on this programme,” he said.

Over the decade, he said the bank had also had long standing relationships with medical students in the country, providing financial support to selected medical students to partly fund their travel abroad.

“We are all aware of most of the healthcare challenges that face us as a nation, particularly for the less privileged and vulnerable sections of our population,” he said.

Partners

The Head of Bancassurance of the Old Mutual Ghana, Mr Othniel Kumassah, said the decision to partner the bank was part of its responsible business initiative with a special focus on education.

As a result, he observed that the insurance company was sponsoring the programme with a total risk exposure of €1 million for the 16 students.

“We strive to be responsible for the growth and development of communities in which we operate. This year, we have a special focus on education and as such the opportunity to partner Ecobank is exciting for us.

“Our partnership with Ecobank took off in the year 2015 and as at today, we have close to 30,000 policies on books. This has been built on mutual trust and cooperation in all aspects of the relationship as evidenced even on this collaboration,” he said.

Beneficiaries

The President of the Federation of Ghana Medical Students' Associations (FGMSA), Mr Emmanuel Ayerh Quashie, thanked the bank and the other partners for remaining committed to enhancing medical education in Ghana.

“I must state for the records that Ecobank Ghana has been a very good partner with medical students in terms of exchange sponsorship and we know that this is not the last time they are going to help,” he said.