GRADUATE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA

Partners in National Development through Research and Practice

Our Ref: GRASAG/PUB/013 Bankers: CAL BANK

Your Ref:………………………… Date: 25/02/2020

For immediate release

GRADUATE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (GRASAG) CALLS FOR THE

SURCHARGING AND PROSECUTION OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS WHO WERE
AWARDED GETFUND SCHOLARSHIP

The Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) is dismayed by the abuse of the
discretionary powers by the Board of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) Secretariat to
award scholarship to persons who essentially cannot be considered as needy. It is an established
fact that the award of scholarships in general does not necessarily mean the recipient must be
needy. However, one of the key objective of setting up the GETFund was to provide financial
support (scholarship) for needy students as stated by the Section 2 (2b) of Act 581. Section 2,
Clause (b) states that, “GETFund is to provide supplementary funding to the Scholarship
Secretariat for the grant of scholarships of gifted but needy students for studies in the second
cycle and accredited tertiary institutions in Ghana”. Persons of influence and individuals with
much political exposure have unfortunately hijacked this important objective of the Secretariat at
the expense of the poor taxpayer on whose behalf the fund was established.

The performance Audit Report released by the Auditor-General on the administration of

scholarships by GETFund, revealed a sad reality many Ghanaian students have known about the
way scholarships are awarded by these state agencies over the past years. There are enormous
evidence that many brilliant but poor students are denied scholarships because they lack political
connections.

It is really unconscionable that sitting Members of Parliament and other public officials will
even put themselves up to be considered for scholarship meant for needy students. This is the
evidence of impunity with which the political class has carefully been orchestrating against
the masses in this country.

To the extent that these public officials did not go through any robust competitive selection
process before receiving their scholarships is enough ground to ask them to refund the said
amount and we call on the attorney general and the office of the special prosecutor to
investigate circumstances that resulted in this malicious abuse of office by these public
officials.

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 There is definitely something untoward about how GETFund awarded scholarships to politically

exposed individuals rather than brilliant but needy students as anticipated by Act 581 to study

abroad, in subjects and programmes that can be handled by the many accredited tertiary institutions

in Ghana. Allowing GETFund to continue awarding scholarships without recourse to the

Scholarship Secretariat amount to duplicity of functions and must be curtailed to the barest

minimum.

We want to remind the Government of Ghana that, the students of Ghana are following keenly and

will not relent until we have seen reforms in the administration of Scholarships in Ghana. Public

funds must not be used to the benefit of few individuals with political connection and influence,

whiles the masses wallow in abject poverty and uncertainties. At this point, GRASAG stands by

the recommendations of the Auditor General for GETFund to abide by Section 2 (2b) of the

GETFund Act and give funds to Scholarships Secretariat for the administration of local

scholarships and desist from administering foreign scholarships. We also call for the prosecution

and sanction of public officials both past and present who have unfairly benefited from

scholarships meant for brilliant but needy students as well as officials who approved these

scholarships.

Issued by
The National Executive Committee

P.O. Box MP 4443 Samuel Sagoe Muniru Gazari Kwasi Frimpong

Mamprobi, Accra
Grasagnational93@gmail.com
www.grasagnational.com
President
+233 24 617 4064
Anita Opoku-Tawiah
Gender Commissioner
+233 20 728 4478
Vice President General Secretary
+233 24 490 1994 +233 20 183 3775
Yussif Suleman Harrison Dormenyo Agbedanu
Financial Controller Organizing Controller
+233 20 843 4276 +233 24 669 3720