Tumu: Mr. Issah Mohammed Bataglia, the Member of Parliament for the Sissala East Constituency, has disbursed a total of GHC 300,000 in support of 291 tertiary students across the constituency. The disbursement is in fulfillment of a campaign promise by the MP to fund part of the education of some students in the constituency.
According to Ghana News Agency, addressing the beneficiaries in Tumu, Mr. Bataglia announced that the Bataglia Educational Support Scheme (BESS) has now been registered as a Foundation, a move he described as crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability of BESS. Mr. Bataglia noted that the foundation will expand its support beyond education to address critical social needs, including healthcare and infrastructure.
“The Sissala East Municipal hospital lacks an X-ray machine. If a resource like the Bataglia Education and Social Support Scheme is well resourced, we can help provide such essential equipment,” he stated. Mr. Bataglia expressed satisfaction with the successful disbursement, noting that the turnout exceeded his expectations. He assured the constituents that the support scheme was not a one-day wonder but a lasting development pillar for Sissala East.
The support, delivered under the Bataglia Educational Support Scheme (BESS), targeted students from Tumu College of Education, the Tumu Midwifery Training College, public and technical universities, as well as vocational and training institutions. The initiative is designed to ease the financial pressure on students and their families. The beneficiaries received between GHC 1,000 and over GHC 3,000, depending on their course of study and individual needs.
While many students received their cheques at a presentation ceremony in Tumu, the MP’s office announced that students currently outside the constituency could collect theirs from the Municipal Assembly’s Accounts Department. Speaking to the GNA after the ceremony, one beneficiary, Abudu Amdals Borsutie, said, “I had already paid 70 percent of my fees, but I was struggling with the balance. This money covers the remainder completely.”
Another student, Baana Kaderi from the Tumu College of Education, highlighted the impact on daily living, saying, “We are currently being fed only once a day. This support will help me afford regular meals and buy my required handouts.” Mr. Adamu Yakubu, the Sissala East Municipal Chief Executive, pledged the Assembly’s readiness to complement the scheme by supporting some needy but brilliant students pursuing tertiary education with funds from the District Assembly’s common fund.