Some Ghanaian ministers have been fingered in a latest scandal.
Their names have been mentioned in a list of GETFund beneficiaries and Ghanaians just can not keep calm about this development.
A performance audit report of the Auditor-General on the administration of scholarships by GETFund revealed that Education Minister Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, Procurement Minister and Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo as well as the Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), Prince Hamidu Armah have all benefitted from the scheme.
The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) is a scholarship scheme given to brilliant but needy students who need a push in their education so it was not taken lightly when names of ministers of the state who can cater for their own education and upkeep appeared in the list of beneficiaries.
FACTS ON GETFUND SCHOLARSHIP FOR MPs:
The NDC Government sponsored MPs on a capacity building program in Harvard through GETFUND in 2014. These scholarships were not awarded under an NPP Government. pic.twitter.com/XhDPYG2mtP
— Kofi Ofosu Nkansah Snr. (@KONSNIPERS) February 24, 2020
However, the Education Minister, Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and the Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), Prince Hamidu Armah have, in separate rejoinders, denied taking anything from the trust since they assumed offices. Adwoa Safo is yet to make a statement.
Here are some reactions from Ghanaians.
1.
Document: How GETFUND dashed MPs, politicians, others $4.7m in scholarships as brilliant but needy students sufferedhttps://t.co/mGpVisPvo1
— Manasseh Azure Awuni (@Manasseh_Azure) February 24, 2020
2.
Leaders are awarding GETFund scholarships to themselves whiles the actual folks who needed this were ignored.
This country de3 noo ????????♂️ #CitiCBS @Citi973 pic.twitter.com/JqnnBkTsP9
— EL-DAD (@ChristDeKing) February 24, 2020
3.
The main reason Ghana will forever be Ghana.
-GREEDINESS
-CORRUPTIONYet they claim 100% christians and Muslims. God/Allah will Judge you all. Greedy Bastards who never cares for the needy ones . ????
GETfund
#showbizagenda— ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? (@Rhemic_SalesGH) February 24, 2020
4. Ghana Elon Musk ba Adwoa Safo
GETFund had that coming.
But this is extra disturbing. This list isn’t even for relatives and children of family friends of government officials but this time they themselves got the scholarship. Adwoa Safo you be MP wey your popee dey do robot, ibi $24k you no fit pay?— ab. (@AbeikuLytle) February 24, 2020
5.
GETFUND and MoE what are they taking us for? You release a press to insult the intelligence of Ghanaians the more. They have denied several students or deserving ones this scholarship rather awarding ministers and government officials who have the capacity to fund their studies. pic.twitter.com/7CyMSan21B
— ???????????????????????????? ???????????? (@citizenyao) February 24, 2020
6.
Unintelligent but greedy students
GetFund fraudsters
GetFund Scandal #GetfundFraud #GetfundScandal pic.twitter.com/pIvKdTN2Bf
— Baba Mohammed ???????????????????????? (@Dorsty1R) February 24, 2020
7.
GETFUND paid $17,004 tuition fee + $12,800 living expenses for ADWOA SAFO, Procurement Minister. Meanwhile the conference cost $8,500 (per Harvard invoice) and same conference was paid for by NHIA.
Question now is which conference did GETFUND pay for at the same Harvard? pic.twitter.com/VhQYJIp7tB
— Che???????????????????????? (@CheEsquire) February 24, 2020
8.
BRILLIANT BUT NEEDY MINISTERS:
Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations. Number 82 on GETFUND Scholarship list.
“The Real Owners of Ghana are in charge now” pic.twitter.com/PD9frQeG21
— Che???????????????????????? (@CheEsquire) February 24, 2020
9.
Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo is a member of parliament for Dome/kwabenya constituency with a population of over one hundred and twenty thousand yet she benefited from the GETFUND meant for the poor and needy ignoring the over 70 thousand poor men and women who voted for her.
— Ib (@zambichugi) February 24, 2020
10. How we go do am?
The law states that GETFund should be used to sponsor “brilliant but needy” students to study in GHANA. But majority of the beneficiaries are studying abroad, some even at Harvard University.
— Otinkran (@mrpatriq) February 24, 2020
11. Our grandparents ????????
GETFund… Your grandparents are claiming "brilliant but needy" ???? ???? ????
I love this kɛntry!— Dr. Solomon ???? ???? ???? (@mey3_nHyiRa) February 24, 2020
12.
GetFund exploited by the rich ? Not surprised.
— ny (@NYboateng) February 24, 2020
13.
You can't tell me that a minister or a member of parliament is a needy but brilliant student. – Elvis Darko on Auditor General's report on GETFund #BreakfastDaily pic.twitter.com/WJTCkl7f1J
— Citi TV (@CitiTVGH) February 24, 2020
14.
#GalamSONA RT _Efo_Yao: GETFUND and MoE what are they taking us for? You release a press to insult the intelligence of Ghanaians the more. They have denied several students or deserving ones this scholarship rather awarding ministers and government offic… pic.twitter.com/uHAERzDXWi
— Ama Corona ???????? ???????? ???????? (@AmaTailor) February 24, 2020
15. But…
The amount allocated by GETFund for every person sent abroad to study, could have supported about 13 undergrads locally #CitiCBS
— CitiNewsroom (@Citi973) February 24, 2020
16.
Father of the " Unintelligent but greedy students"#GetfundScandal
Getfund scandal #GetfundFraud
Getfund fraud pic.twitter.com/WpYkSq0dMs— Baba Mohammed ???????????????????????? (@Dorsty1R) February 24, 2020
17.
+ $12,800 living expenses. Meanwhile the conference cos $,8500 and same conference was paid for by NHIA. Now which conference did GETFUND pay for at the same Harvard? pic.twitter.com/7x4mSBTrE9
— Che???????????????????????? (@CheEsquire) February 23, 2020
18.
Most People are even denied local scholarships by GETFund bah they have enough funds to sponsor foreign scholarships and give them all those allowances, worse of, those politician kids will come back and be given managerial positions. What chance does the poor man have?
— Question Everything (@elikem_1) February 23, 2020
19. So what happened?
Not the same. Those are Scholarship secretariat folks. Per law there should not be abrokyire Getfund scholarship beneficiaries.
— Godfred Akoto Boafo (@eastsportsman) February 24, 2020
20.
Brilliant but needy minister of state. pic.twitter.com/ANpFycjapc
— ???????????????????????????? ???????????? (@citizenyao) February 23, 2020
21.
Some of the corruption cases when you hear them it’s just to bad. GETFUND hmmmm
— Mamaga???????????????????????????? (@mamagashika) February 23, 2020