Renowned journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has added his voice to the ongoing debate about some GetFund monies being allocated to some government officials.
An audit released by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) Scholarship scheme for the period 2012 to 2018, named some government appointees as beneficiaries of the fund set aside majorly for needy but brilliant students.
The performance audit report also named some personalities including lecturers, media practitioners and heads of institutions as having profited from the funds.
Reacting to the subject in a social media post, Mr. Awuni sought to refresh the memories of Ghanaians about similar actions that occurred under the erstwhile Kufuor administration.
Citing the National Youth Employment Program introduced under the then government in 2006, Manasseh recalled how a program created to address the country’s youth unemployment situation was diverted for the good of a few select.
Under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, its objective was to support the youth between the ages of 15 to 35 years through skills training and internship modules to transit from a situation of unemployment to that of employment.
“That money ended up building Zoomlion, rLG, Its not new(s)etc.” he wrote.
Details:
Among persons named in the report, the Education Minister was listed as a Harvard University student, sponsored for the programme National and International Security, receiving US$11,200 and US$12,800 as tuition and living allowance respectively.
The Procurement Minister and Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament was also listed as a Harvard Kennedy School student who received US$17,004 as tuition fees and US$12,800 as a living allowance.
Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, was listed by the report as a student of University of Portsmouth, UK, studying BA International Relations and Politics, and enjoying £11,800 as tuition fees and £12,710 as a living allowance.
Prince Hamidu Armah, who is the Executive Secretary of National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), the report stated, for his Philosophy in Education programme at University of Aberdeen has received £33,000 and £38,400 as tuition fees and living expenses respectively.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), has denied awarding scholarships under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration.
Education Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh has also described the publication as vexatious.
Manasseh Azure Awuni