GETfund scholarship revelations ‘national disgrace’ – Ablakwa

Former Deputy Education Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described the decision of the GETfund scholarship secretariat to award scholarships to sitting members of parliament and other high ranking officials as a national disgrace.

According to him, the revelation and the uproar that has welcomed it should be a turning point for the scholarship managers and its processes.

“Those seeking to justify or defend this national disgrace by creating fake lists and adding my name and that of other innocent colleagues to muddy the waters such as the dubious and criminal GNPC Scholarship list in circulation rather cut a very pitiable image of themselves.

The Auditor-General must be commended once more for his courageous and nationalistic effort,” the North Tongu wrote on Facebook.

He also condemned the attempt by some Ghanaians to justify the issue.

“By all means, let’s give former and current GETFund functionaries between the audit period 2012 to 2018 and the stated beneficiaries the opportunity to be heard particularly as they will soon have to appear before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.

“May I also caution that attempts by some beneficiaries and their spokespersons to rely on paragraph E of Section 2(2) of Act 581 to justify their conduct is untenable as contrary to the law, there was no Ministerial approval secured for these scholarships since they were not brought to our attention when we served at the Ministry of Education. Moving forward, let us establish a clear code of conduct barring all MPs, Ministers and other high ranking officials of state from directly benefiting from such schemes intended for the gifted but needy”.

It has emerged that some MPs and government officials were given scholarships from the GETfund scholarship secretariat to embark on courses abroad.

The mandate of the GETFund is to grant scholarships to brilliant but needy Ghanaians.

The list including some members of parliament and deputy ministers are contained in the audited report of the auditor general on the Getfund scholarship secretariat.

The Dome MP and procurement minister Adwoa Safo applied and obtained $12,800 in allowances with $17,004 in tuition fees to study at the Harvard Kennedy school.

The Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), Prince Hamidu Armah also received £38,400 for living expense in addition to £33,000 for tuition fees, While Education minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh, who listed at number 38, is receiving $12,800 for living expenses and $11,200 as tuition fees at security course at Harvard University.

The Education Minister and the Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment have explained they secured the scholarship before coming into public office.