MP's, Politicians Who Accessed GETfund Should "Bow Their Heads In Shame" - NDC Activist

A member of the Communications Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dela Edem, has described Members of arliament (MPs) and other leading political figures who accessed the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) scholarship as "having no shame".

To him, it is a disgrace to see people who on their own can further their education defeating the purpose of a policy by taking what belongs to the "poor", without their conscience pricking them. 

"Why should a Member of Parliament or a son of a top politician qualify to receive Getfund support when the money was meant for poor and needy students? 

"Indeed, Politicians who apply for GetFund should bow their heads in shame for it was not meant for them," he added.

Over the weekend, the Minister of State in charge of Public Procurement, Sarah Adwoa Safo, and other notable politicians were indicted in a recent audit report of accessing GETFund scholarship.
 
Apart from Ms Safo, the other appointees named by the Auditor-General’s report as beneficiaries include the Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), Dr Prince Armah, who issued a statement saying he was deserving of it; Education Minister Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, who also issued a statement saying he benefited from it in 2014 and not as a minister of state; and the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations Ignatius Barfour Awuah, who is yet to issue a statement on the matter.

The latest is a confession by NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia who has admitted that his son was funded by the scheme for his tertiary education outside the country.

According to Mr Asiedu Nketia at the time of application, he had retired from legislator duties and as a result could not foot the bills of his son’s education; putting him under the ‘needy’ category.

Sarah Adwoa Safo, was given $12,800 in allowances with $17,004 in tuition fees to study at the Harvard Kennedy School.

The Minister for Education benefitted from the scholarships by receiving $12,800 for living expenses and $11,200 as tuition fees to study a National and International Security in Harvard University.

The revelation has generated outrage among some Ghanaians on social media.

Speaking on UTV's 'Adekye Nsroma' newspaper discussion segment, Dela Edem said; "frankly, it is sad that in this country persons who have thousands could attempt to and succeed in taking away the one opportunity granted the poor".