The Chairman for New Juaben North Constituency, NPP, Mr Kwadwo Agyeman Boteng has blamed GETFund for its recent scandal involving some Ministers, Members of Parliament and government officials.
According to him, the beneficiaries only requested for the scholarships and did not award it to themselves, stating that GETFund must be held responsible for their actions.
Meanwhile, Dr. Armah who is also reported to be studying philosophy in Education at the University of Aberdeen, which comes with a benefit of £38,400 for living expense in addition to £33,000 for tuition fees.
Reacting to the above on Atinka TV’s Morning Agenda, a segment on Ghana Nie, hosted by Bismark Brown, Mr Boteng said,” I dont think Napo awarded the scholarship to himself. there is a criteria you have to go through, and if the criteria says you are not qualified you do not benefit.”
He further said that,”Let us agree he is a Member of Parliament and he says I am going to enhance my ability to build the nation so there is an external course I am going to do and I am applying into your institution, the discretion is that of the institution. I blame GETFund and not the beneficiaries.”
Mr Boteng who also noticed a publication that alleged that Okudzeto Ablakwa MP for North Tongu also benefited the GNPC scholarship when he was a Minister said, “Go and check GNPC’s criteria for awarding scholarships under their NGO. He was then a Minister of state.”
“I am not criticising any beneficiary. In other developed countries, such scholarships are made available for capacity building, maybe we as a nation have not sat down to categorise it well. Capacity building is always given to the leaders to broaden their scope. The nation makes a certain buffer for those things. Go and check their budget, 2015, 2016 that Former Finance Minister Seth Terpker allocated for scholarships. if it is out of this that they benefited i do not have any problem,” Mr Boateng added.
For his part, a Former Communications Officer, NDC, Mr Solomon Nkansah also suggested that,”we have an Auditor General, we should allow him do his work. If he does it and does not make it public, how can the public know and participate?”
“We have to make a law from the Auditor General that all departments, agencies and ministries, if someone brings a document which is supposed to take about three days to process and it goes beyond a week, whoever is in charge must be surcharged; that will reduce corruption in Ghana,” he suggested.
Mr Solomon Nkansah stated that,”For the GETFund issue, I think people like jumping into conclusions without reading the matter and making informed judgement. Napo is an MP, and in Parliament, their capacities must be boosted. So people should read the related course he went for, if it fits into a new role he is playing we have to overlook it.”
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori