When offering aid to the needy allegedly leads to betrayal; the case of Hon. Sandaare and a constituent

Earlier this week, there was some brouhaha about alleged failure of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa constituency, Hon. Dr. Sebastian Sandaare, to help a constituent pay his admission fees by some local radio stations.

Evidence of financial aid given to Bako Mohammed by the MP

Bako Muhammed Sidik had granted media interview narrating how he had not been able to continue his schooling at the tertiary level due to his failure to raise money to pay his admission fees.

The MP came under heavy critisms by some journalists even though no attempt was made to hear from the side of the lawmaker.

However, it has emerged that Master Bako Mohammed Sidik is said to have misrepresented the facts when he sought to suggest that Hon. Sandaare had turned a blind eye to his predicament, Hon. Evans Gandiibu, Assembly member for Bussie East has alleged.

Speaking to Upper West Blog Thursday, February 2, 2023, the Assembly member said the MP had been sponsoring Bako Mohammed's educations since his SHS days till date, an evidence of which he shared with this blog.

He indicated that in 2021 when Bako gained admission to study Physician Assistance programme at the Kintampo College of Health, he, Bako sought the help of the MP through him.

He said after the lawmaker duly paid the admission fee for him, he alleged Bako shockingly abandoned the course midway unbeknownst to Hon. Dr. Sandaare and he, Evans, only to return late last month with yet another request.

"Mohammed had admission into Kintampo College of Health in 2021 to study Physician Assistance Programme. He drew my attention and through me he was supported by the member of Parliament for DBI, Hon Sebastian Sandaare.

Mohammed started the aforementioned programme and left the school unknown to me nor the Member of Parliament,"

Hon. Evans continued that:

"On Friday 27th January, 2023. Mohammad sent me an admission letter through whatapp to study Doctor of Pharmacy at UDS Tamale. He called on the said day with a whole lot of stories why he left the former programme. He again requested for the MP's support. I asked him to apply through me. He did on the(Saturday) 28th January 2023. I equally forwarded the said letter to the member of Parliament the same day.

"On 30th January, 2023. The MP responded to Mohammed request. 31st January, 2023. Mohammed was given a cheque of Ghs 7,500.00 to pay for his admission fees. It is therefore not true that stakeholders didn't respond to Mohammed. It is not also true that, Mohammad has been following the MP for support and never got his support. It is not true again that Mohammed had gotten admission at different times and could not go to school due to financial reasons as the media wants us to believe. We need to check the facts, it will help. It is not costly to do that."

Hon. Evans Gandiibu claimed that unknown to him and the legislature, just before the check slip of the amount of ¢7,500.00 was handed over to Bako, a philanthropist had already paid tbe school fees into the account of the University for Development Studies of which Bako was aware of.

According to Evans, when Mr. Abu Kabiebata Kansagbata, a former Deputy Upper West Regional heard of the issue on radio, he reached out to some people where he got help to pay for the fees and therefore expressed shock why Bako Mohammed still took the check from the MP when somebody else had already paid the fees for him.

He alleged that ever since Bako took the check, his phone lines suddenly went off as calls put to him could not go through.

"Hon. Dr. Sandaare eventually sent him the check for the payment. But unknown to us, through the intervention of Hon. Abu K. K, former Deputy Upper West Minister, got the admission fee paid directly into the school's account which he was in the known. Yet, still went ahead to receive the check and has since switched off his phone line. We tried him severally on the phone but the line is not going through," Hon. Evans alleged.

Evans Gandiibu noted that the MP has been consistent in helping students in his constituency financially and said it is therefore a fallacy for anyone to claim he refused to come to the aid of Mohammed.

He called on journalists to abide by the ethics of their profession by cross-checking their facts well before putting a claim out there.

Source: Upper West Blog