Minister of Finance Seth Terkper has been described as a ‘Minister of Withdrawals’ by students of the country.
According to them, the rate at which the Minister is withdrawing allowances is quite alarming.
Speaking on behalf of students on TV3’s News@10 on Thursday, May 22, Samuel Binfoh Darkwah, the National President of National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), said have been concerned about the management of the Ghana Education Trust (GET) Fund, saying though they are key stakeholders, they have been kept in the dark as regards the management of the Fund.
He said as if that was not enough, government is making work difficult for other stakeholders in education by withdrawing their allowances.
“When you wake up, you will hear the Minister has withdrawn teacher trainee allowance; has withdrawn lecturers’ allowance; has withdrawn nurses’ allowance. I have to say he must be called Minister of Withdrawals.”
“Government does not show priority towards education,” Master Darkwah accused.
He says the Union has issued a two-week ultimatum to government to be made privy to the coffers of the GET Fund.
Failure of which, the Union asserts, a writ will be filed against the state.
“In 2013, an amount of Ghc691 million was expected to be transferred into the Fund,” he explained to journalists in Accra on Thursday.
“However, the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Finance only released Ghc133 million.”
He said an approval by Parliament, this year, of Ghc739 million for the Fund has so far generated Ghc97 million, which is yet to be transferred into the Fund.
