By Stanley Senya
Accra, Sept. 14, GNA – Miss Nancy Agyeman Duah, daughter of a mechanic and a sachet water seller, has emerged as the Overall Best Graduating Student of the Ho Technical University Class of 2025, graduating with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.96 out of 4.0.
Nancy, who hails from Abuakwa in the Ashanti Region, obtained a Bachelor of Technology degree in Hospitality Management after overcoming significant financial challenges that threatened her tertiary education.
Her academic success has been attributed partly to support received through the MTN Bright Scholarship, which enabled her to pursue her studies without the burden of tuition fees and other educational expenses.
Speaking about her journey, Nancy said her parents had worked tirelessly to support her education despite their limited financial means.
Her father is a mechanic while her mother sells sachet water to support the family.
She said as she progressed to tertiary education, the cost of tuition, accommodation and other academic requirements became increasingly difficult for the family to bear.
“My parents always encouraged me not to worry about finances but to trust that God would provide. Although the burden was heavy at times, I stayed committed to my studies,” she said.
Determined to excel despite the financial difficulties confronting her family, Nancy enrolled at Ho Technical University to pursue a programme in Hospitality Management.
While at the university, she learnt about the MTN Bright Scholarship through a friend’s group chat and was later encouraged by her brother-in-law to apply.
Nancy said her selection for the scholarship brought immense relief to her family and allowed her to focus more fully on her academic work.
“Between my tears of joy and my mom’s screams of thanksgiving, I can truly say it was one of the best days for my family and me,” she said.
She described the scholarship as more than financial assistance, noting that it provided the support needed to transform her academic potential into achievement.
“The MTN Bright Scholarship was more than a scholarship for me; it was a bridge between potential and possibility,” she said.
Nancy graduated in November 2025 with a CGPA of 3.96, becoming the overall best graduating student of the university.
Beyond her academic achievement, she has established a beauty business offering hair-braiding and eyelash services while preparing to pursue her ambition of studying Law.
She said her experience had reinforced her belief that financial limitations should not prevent young people from pursuing their educational aspirations.
“In my community, my story serves as encouragement to younger people who may also face challenges. It shows them that with determination, excellence, and the right support, their dreams are achievable,” she said.
The MTN Bright Scholarship was launched in 2017 to support brilliant but needy students to complete tertiary education.
According to MTN Ghana, the programme has supported 1,220 students across 18 tertiary institutions nationwide since its inception.
The scholarship package covers tuition and accommodation and provides beneficiaries with a laptop and stipends for books and other study materials.
Beneficiary institutions include the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the University of Ghana, the University of Cape Coast, colleges of education and health training institutions.
MTN Ghana said 17 Bright Scholars had graduated as valedictorians or overall best graduating students at their respective institutions, while 299 had obtained first-class honours.
Additionally, 47 scholars graduated with second-class upper honours and 16 with second-class lower honours.
Nancy’s achievement adds to the growing list of success stories emerging from the programme as MTN Ghana marks 30 years of operations in the country.
For her family, her graduation represents the culmination of years of sacrifice, perseverance, and determination, supported by an intervention that helped remove financial barriers to higher education.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah