As a continued demonstration for his support for human capital development and youth empowerment in Grand Gedeh County and the country at large, Chief Dr. William Deiyan Towah, Sr., Director of Finance and Administration at the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Abuja, has awarded 100 scholarships to young college going youth in Grand Gedeh County for enrolment in various fields at the Grand Gedeh Community College. “There is a need to inspire the next generation of young people to prepare for future leadership roles in the country”, he stated.
Dr. Towah made the cheering news public over the weekend in Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County when he held several citizen engagement meetings with elders, civic groups, women groups, market women, youths and students with the view of touching base with them and urging them to remain law abiding citizens as well as being conscious of their obligation to the county and its people.
Amidst thunderous cheers and standing ovation from the citizens at every forum he addressed them, Dr. Towah who over the years has been a major source of support for the advancement of the young people in Grand Gedeh County, said that it is an obligation for the older generation having been blessed over the years to show the direction for the younger generation to tread in order to build a legacy of good citizenry and a progressive society that will factor in the general interest of the people and society.
“We are excited to undertake this initiative; it was borne out of genuine conviction without any condition attached that for us to have a progressive and productive society, some of us the older generation who have been so blessed by God should endeavor to uplift and encourage the younger ones. As leaders we must realize that we cannot count ourselves successful if we do not encourage our successors who should lead from where we will stop”, Dr. Towah said.
He said though there are other plans put in place to help the youth of the county, he wants to put more emphasis on education because it is the surest way to break the cycle of poverty and expand the frontier of empowerment, self-worth, dignity and prosperity. Towah said he always makes reference to his own struggle to acquire education which over the years has paid off with the positive change in his life and career.
“You may ask why should I prioritize education now over other means of extending my assistance to the young people. It is simple because I have used this pathway to get to where I am today. It was a hard struggle to acquire education but through perseverance and sheer determination I was able to break through the barriers. I believe the young people should be encouraged and with their own willingness to chart a positive course for a secured future, they can be successful as well”, Towah said.
He further stated that he is beginning with the scholarship scheme at the college level because it has a shorter maturity period and greater impact on their career prospects as upon their graduation they can easily be absorbed in the employment market or become entrepreneurs to offer job creation opportunities for others.
The news of the unprecedented scholarship opportunities in the county is being widely received and welcomed by citizens as a good number of the young people will enter college instead of involving in motorbike riding and working in gold mines.
“We did not see this coming but again we are not surprised by this offer from Dr. Towah, a true son of the soil who has always identified with us when it matters most. Now our children will go to college free of charge thereby removing the financial burden on us as well as encouraging them to be serious with their own future. We call on other well meaning Grand Gedeans to emulate the good initiative of Dr. Towah to look inward for the benefit of this county and its people”, Kweeda Towah, one of the organizers of the engagements said.
Several youths who spoke individually and through their leaders were excited and showered encomiums on Dr. Towah for the gesture and in the process promised to fully make use of the opportunities to ensure they get enrolled and complete their studies.
“Nothing gladdens us on this day to be given this kind of offer that has never happened in this county. It is a dream come true for most of us who have since lost hope of acquiring college education because of lack of support from our parents. Some of us are into areas such as motorbike riding and petty trading to support ourselves and the early families we are making because there is no other way to advance ourselves beyond the mere high school education we acquired some years ago. We will be eternally grateful to Dr. Towah who we see as our father and role model. May God richly bless him”, youth President Alex Jillah enthusiastically remarked at the program.
The engagements with the citizens were on the sideline of Dr. Towah’s visit to the county where he led a high level delegation of the Board of Trustees of the Grand Gedeh Community College to deliberate on crucial issues affecting the college with the view of setting up a transformative agenda to ensure that the institution fulfills the mandates for which it was created.