The Zongo and Inner City Development Secretariat of the office of the President is working to secure admission for Dr Shekira Yahaya, who last week emerged as best female medical student of the University for Development Studies (UDS), for further studies at the John Hopkins University in the US.
The Presidential Coordinator of the Secretariat, Ben Abdallah Banda, disclosed this when the secretariat honoured Dr Yahaya for her exploits at a short ceremony in Accra last week.
The citation on the plaque presented to her in recognition of her feat reads, “The citation is to recognise your sterling performance and celebrate you as a mentee. The girl child and young ladies in the zongos should emulate you to change the narrative across our communities.”
It added that “this inspiration, we believe will help raise many self-motivated youths as yourself to go for excellence in their chosen fields. As you forge ahead in your chosen career path, we implore you not to rest on your laurels but set the bar several metres higher till you obtain novelty in your field. We believe in you and will partner with you to inspire the young in our Zongo communities. Congratulations and may Allah Bless you. November 11, 2021.”
The Coordinator while relishing the feat of the 24-year-old said the secretariat was working with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to secure admission for her at the John Hopkins University, in the US, in her field of interest.
The action of the Secretariat is intended to inspire other female students to aspire for higher academic laurels, the Presidential Coordinator of the Secretariat, Ben Abdallah Banda, had said.
The Coordinator, who is a former MP for Offinso South Constituency, in the Ashanti Region, has since assuming office engaged in a number of activities geared towards encouraging youth from the disadvantaged areas to go to school.
Dr Shekira Yahaya’s story is that of perseverance coupled with parental support from a father and mother who appreciate the importance of education, especially in the life of a girl child.
Her father did not relent in his support for his little girl; providing her with special tuition before her pre-tertiary examination which gained her admission to read medicine.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is currently sponsoring some zongo girls who are studying in Sudanese tertiary institutions, having also facilitated the admission and scholarship offer for over a dozen zongo girls studying medicine in Cuba.
The Presidential Coordinator in his remarks, after the feat of Shekira Yahaya, said his office will do all it can to encourage the education of the girl child in the zongo communities and inner cities across the country.
Dr Shekira’s feat comes on the heels of another zongo girl who swept all prizes at the KNUST Medical School a few years ago.
BY TIMES REPORTER
