I am ashamed MPs went for GETFund Scholarship – Inusah Fuseini

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central constituency, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini says Members of Parliament (MPs) have no justification benefitting from GETfund scholarships.

He says he has never benefitted from any GETFund scholarship as such he is ashamed of what his colleagues in parliament had done.

"I am ashamed MPs went for GETFund scholarships . . . I even didn't know that some MPs have applied for scholarship, it never crossed my mind all this 14 years I've been in parliament to use my position as MP to apply for scholarship," he said in an interview with Maame Biamah Kwafo on Neat FM.

He said since he became an MP he has furthered his education through his salary.

"If you say an MP is needy what about that person in my constituency or in Ghana who has no water to drink . . . you can even describe yourself as brilliant but needy," he said.

According to him, in no case can MPs be described as 'brilliant but needy students'.

Background

A performance audit report has listed a number of high-ranking government officials including the Minister of State in Charge of Procurement, Sarah Adwoa Safo who applied and obtained $12,800 in allowances with $17,004 in tuition fees to study at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Another person captured in the list is the Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), Prince Hamidu Armah also receiving £38,400 for living expense in addition to £33,000 for tuition fees, While Education Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh, also received $12,800 for living expenses and $11,200 as tuition fees to study at Harvard University.

The Auditor-General intends to surcharge persons involved in scholarship awards and also disallow expenditure items of the GETFund Secretariat, in accordance with Article 187(7) (b) of its mandate.

This follows recommendations by the Auditor-General after faulting the GETFund for not being fair in the award of scholarships to those in need.