By Bernice Bessey (bbessey@yahoo.com)
The Presbyterian Senior High School (Presec), Legon was crowned champion over the recent Capital Market week celebration quiz in Accra.
Though the participation schools namely Odorgono Senior High School, West Africa Senior High School, Datus Senior High School St. Jones Grammar Technical and Senior High School proved their ability by performing extremely well, Presec still carried the day.
The quiz which took almost an hour to tested the SHS students mind on current Affairs and other related issues, were barely answered correctly by few of the contestants.
This, the quiz organizers felt disappointed and worried, and urged the students who had occupied the Surgeons and physicians auditorium in their numbers to throw support to their peers to use the internet not only to chat with friends but also to get well informed and educated about things that are happening around them.
The quiz which was powered by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) gave the student the opportunity to express their knowledge about the capital market and the benefit it brings to individuals, groups and companies.
Each of the contesting schools, 1st Presec, 2nd West Africa SHS, 3rd Odorgono, 4th St. Jones grammar and Datus were awarded with cash and book prize , alongside a mutual fund worth GH¢1,500 to each of the participants.
Also, schools that won at zonal level were awarded with GH¢7, 00 and books prize.
The Director General of SEC Adu Anane-Antwi advised the youth that though they are in school but it does not prevent them from spending, save and invest their savings into a meaningful gain.
He said though the job market full, it is easy to start something with a capital to become self employed.
Mr. Anane-Antwi urged the youth to take a bold step to start early investment to create a giant future.
Earlier in the week, the deputy minister of Finance, Mona Helen Quartey indicated that the capital market as part of the financial system is critical to the economic development of the country and that a vibrant market will close the infrastructure deficit, create wealth, unleashed the potential of the people.
She said without understanding of its importance, policy makers, industrialists and investors in the country will continue to wallow in ignorance.
“Wealth creation through the capital market is achievable to all manner of persons who desire to invest with whatever income they may have, irrespective of the size,” she noted.
She stressed that though many people have little or no knowledge about capital market, government views it as a key catalyst of change in the economic fortunes of Ghana and the only way to achieve it, requires massive doses of capital investments to generate enough returns and multiplier effects to make a positive dent on poverty levels in the country.