MINUTES OF MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR 13TH MARCH 2011
GHANAIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION
DONETSK - UKRAINE.
АССОЦИАЦИЯГАНСКИХСТУДЕНТОВ, ДОНЕЦК- УКРАИНА
MINUTES OF MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR 13TH MARCH 2011 ADDRESS FROM REV. DR. KITCHER: ANNA KWAATEMAA ACKAH: MEDICAL STUDENT SAMMUEL AGYIN: MEDICAL STUDENT ERNEST ANDOH: ENGINEERING STUDENT
VENUE-8TH FLOOR HALL 9TH HOSTEL
NUMBER OF STUDENTS PRESENT- 54
MEETING STARTED AT 5:05PM
MC- MR. EMMANUEL ADDO ASANTE
OPENING PRAYER- ELDER JOSHUA ASAMOAH KYEREMEH
CHAIRMAN FOR THE OCCASION- REV. DR. ALBERT KITCHER.
ADDRESS FROM CONSULAR OF EDUCATION INUSAH BASIB:
1. SCHOLARSHIPS: HE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT A REQUEST WAS MADE AT THE SCHOLARSHIP SECRETARIAT FOR SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE STUDENTS IN UKRAINE AND SO FAR, 20 STUDENTS HAS BEEN GRANTED SCHOLARSHIP. THE EMBASSY IS GOING TO ENSURE THAT MORE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE GRANTED IN THE YEARS TO COME.
2. SHIPMENT ALLOWANCE: HE EMPHASISED THAT THE FINAL YEAR STUDENTS WHO APPLIED FOR SHIPMENT ALLOWANCE LAST YEAR WERE GRANTED AND PLEADED WITH THE PRESENT FINAL YEAR STUDENTS TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ADDRESS FROM THE GHANAIAN AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA HIS EXCELLENCY DR. SETH KORANTENG:
1. HE FIRST RENDERES HIS APOLOGY FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO VISIT EARLIER
2. CONGRATULATED THE GHANAIANS ON THE INDEPENCE CELEBRATION
3. SCHOLARSHIP: HE STATED THAT ASSISTING STUDENTS IN THE CIS COUNTRIES IS ONE OF HIS MAJOR PRIIORITIES AND THINKS EVER STUDENT HERE SHOULD BE GRANTED SCHOLARSHIP SINCE THE COUNTRY IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM US IN THE NEAR FUTURE. HE ALSO SATTED THAT THE MAJOR PRIORITY RIGHT NOW IS TO FIGHT FOR RECOGNITION IN GHANA AND WE CAN ALSO HELP BY POPULARISING OURSELVES. HE IS HOPING FOR A CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STUDENTS AND THE EMBASSY.
ADDRESS FROM MRS. BAABA EFIRIM- WILLIAMS:
1. SHE POINTED OUT THE FACT THAT THEY ARE HERE TO HELP US AND MAKE OUR LIVING HERE MORE COMFORTABLE SO WE SHOULD NOT HESITATE TO PRESENT OUR
PROBLEMS TO THEM.
1. HE WANTS THE IDENTITY FORMS TO BE FILLED AND SENT TO HIM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO HE CAN SEND A CONCISE REPORT ABOUT THE STUDENTS HERE TO THE EMBASSY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
2. HE WANTS TO CLARIFY THE RUMOUR GOING AROUND THAT HE SPENT SOME OF THE MONEY AND THAT THE EXACT AMOUNT GIVEN TO THEM WAS WHAT WAS GIVEN TO THE FINAL YEAR STUDENTS LAST YEAR.
3. HE ALSO URGED US TO SHARE WHATEVER WAS TALKED ABOUT DURING THE MEETING WITH STUDENTS IN THE OTHER CITIES.
QUESTIONS:
ISAAC KOFI DARKO: MEDICAL STUDENT
1. SUGGESTED THAT THE EMBASSY SHOULD MAKE AVAILABLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES BETWEEN THE MEDICAL STUDENTS IN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA.
2. ALSO ASKED IF THERE COULD BE FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS SINCE THE BOOKS USED HERE ARE NOT UPDATED ACCORDING TO THE RECENT MEDICAL STANDARDS.
3. ASKED IF FUNDS CAN BE ALLOCATED FOR BRILLANT STUDENTS TO GO TO GHANA DURING THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS TO HAVE A FEEL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE.
ANSWER FROMMR. GODWIN BALETUM: HE FIRST TALKED ABOUT THE POSITION OF REV. DR. KITCHER AS THE CONSULAR AND THAT THOSE WITH PROBLEMS SHOULD CHANNEL IT THROUGH HIM. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AMBASSADOR WILL SEND HIS CREDENTIALS TO THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT SO HE CAN BE RECOGNISED IN THIS COUNTRY AS WELL . HE IS EXPECTING STUDENTS TO TURN UP AND SHOW THEIRR SUPPORT. HE ALSO SAID HE WILL APPRECIATE IT IF THE COST OF BOOKS AND AMOUNT NEEDED WILL BE SENT TO THEM SO THEY CAN WORK ON IT. LASTLY, HE STATED THAT THE BRILLANT STUDENTS STAND A CHANCE OF GETTING SCHOLARSHIP AND ENCOURAGED THE STUDENTS PRESENT TO TAKE THEIR STUDIES SERIOUSLY.
1. ASKED FOR THE EXACT AMOUNT GIVEN TO THE FINAL YEAR STUDENTS AS SHIPPING ALLOWANCE.
2. ALSO ASKED IF IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE FINAL YEAR STUDENTS TO BUY THEIR OWN PLANE TICKETS INSTEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT BUYING IT FOR THEM.
ANSWER: APROVED AIR TICKET FROM THE GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT TO FOREIGN GHANAIN STUDENTS IS $1500 AND THE PLANE TICKETS ARE GOING TO BE PURCHASED FOR THE FINAL YEAR STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE AUDITED BY THE GOVERNMENT BASED ON THE AMOUNT DISBURSED AND IT IS ALWAYS NECESSARY TO HAVE ALL RECEIPTS OF TICKETS BOUGHT FOR PROPER CHECKS AND BALANCES.
SARAH ABA QUANSAH:
1. ASKED IF THE SCHOLARSHIP IS FOR NEW STUDENTS COMING TO UKRAINE OR FOR THOSE ALREAD HERE.
2. ALSO ASKED IF STUDENTS ALREADY HERE CAN APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND THE PROCEEDURE.
ANSWER FROM HIS EXCELENCY DR. SETH KORANTENG: THE SCHOLARSHIP GIVEN IS FOR SRUDENTS ALREADY HERE AND IS SPORADIC. STUDENTS CAN APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND A COPY SHOULD BE SENT TO A FAMILY MEMBER TO DO FOLLOW-UP BACK HOME.
1. ASKED IF THE EMBASSY CAN MAKE AVAILABLE STUDY MATERIAL AND PAST QUESTIONS NEEDED FOR THE MEDICAL EXAM IN GHANA.
2. EDUCATIONAL POLICIES FROM THE EMBASSY
ANSWER FROM HIS EXCELLENCY DR. SETH KORANTENG: PAST QUESTIONS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE MEDICAL STUDENTS BUT IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME.
1. WANTS TO KNOW OPPORTUNITIES DIRECTED TOWARDS THE ENGINEERING STUDENTS SINCE ALL THE INCENTIVES SEEM TO BE CENTERED ON THE MEDICAL STUDENTS.
ANSWER FROM HIS EXCELLENCY DR. SETH KORANTENG: MEDICAL STUDENTS ARE BEING USED AS BAIT TO GAIN RECOGNITION FRO THE GOVERNMENT, AND WHEN THE INCENTIVES COME, IT WILL BE SHARED AMONGST ALL STUDENTS IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COURSE THE STUDENT IS OFFERING.
THE MEETING ENDED AT 6:25PM.
THE CLOSING PRAYER SAID BY PASTOR EMMANUEL QUAYE.