In the midst of the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protests, some activists online dedicated themselves to providing government-backed data to buttress the call for action and the change protesters were demanding.
From data on economic indices, job figures, government intervention priogrammes and spending by especially the executive arm of government, protesters online retweeted such data with the official hashtag #OccupyJulorbiHouse.
But when one specific data set was provided, it triggered mass reaction.
That data is a 2020 list by the scholarship secretariat. The specific grounds for outrage being the listing of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) and politically connected persons who benefited to the tune of 1000s of dollars.
Many people, appearing to have set eyes on the said GETFund Scholarships report by the Auditor-General for the first time lambasted the political class for feeding off the suffering of the people.
MPs who came under renewed attack were Dome Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, who received USD30,000 for a Harvard conference whiles Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh also received funds for a programme as did Employment and Labour Relations Minister Ignatius Baffour-Awuah.
The absentee MP (Sarah Adwoa Safo) got $30,000 to attend a “conference” at Kennedy School, Harvard ????????????
Some of the associated reactions were as follows:
"Whenever I see this list and notice certain names, I am filled with irrepressible rage. The niece of the Minister of Finance, who we were told was as rich as Mansa Musa, was given a scholarship designed for brilliant and needy Ghanaians," an X user posted.
This is how my MP utilized the knowledge gained from the “higher education” at Harvard Kennedy University sponsored by GETFUND to benefit the Dome-Kwabenya constituency #OccupyJulorbiHouse https://t.co/01JIVGqbvP pic.twitter.com/pwVen3thhi
— Senior Global Pastor (@Classy_joe) September 23, 2023
Scholarships meant for needy students were given to appointees and government officials. The audit report that raised this red flag has been left to gather dust. #OccupyJulorbiHouse #Ghana https://t.co/62yVVlfgvK
— Jonas Nyabor (@jnyabor) September 23, 2023
I wonder if any of the girls/boys on this list were also required to grant sexual favours or enter into amorous relationships with any officers from the GETFund/Scholarship secretariat in exchange for the financial assistance they received. I know that was a friends experience ???? https://t.co/va9JCKx3if
— #abonsamcartoons (@brightackwerh) September 24, 2023
Anytime I come across this list, I feel terribly sad.
Why are ministers, MPs and their kids beneficiaries of scholarships meant for brilliant but needy students?With all your wealth? Adwoa Safo, your father’s plenty money?? Napo??? Ofori-Atta????
— Richmond Rockson (@MrRockson) September 24, 2023
It’s just greed!! https://t.co/SwclntoE65
SARA
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