Some ministers as well as high profile government appointees under the Akufo-Addo-led government have been listed as beneficiaries of GETFund scholarships, which are mainly meant for needy but brilliant students. A performance audit report conducted by the Auditor General on scholarships awarded by the GETFund has 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 among several other appointees benefitted from the scholarship scheme. The Education Minister is listed as studying national and international security at Harvard University, receiving 12,800 dollars for living expenses and 11,200 dollars as tuition fees. Procurement minister Sarah Adwoa Safo has also been listed as studying at the Harvard Kennedy University School enjoying 12,800 dollars in allowances with 17,004 dollars in tuition fees. Dr. Armah was awarded a scholarship to do his PhD at the University of Aberdeen. He received of 38,400 pounds for living expenses and 33,000 pounds for tuition fees. Meanwhile, former Metro TV journalist, Hajia Rama Shareef whose name appeared on the list of beneficiaries said she never received the money. The Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament dated November 8, 2019 noted in part: “In granting scholarships, GETFund Secretariat did not institute a robust selection process from 2012 to 2017 leading to haphazard granting of scholarships to Ghanaians to the detriment of those who really needed it. “GETFund Secretariat did not also follow the requirements of the Financial Administration Act, 2003, (Act 654) to establish systems, policies and procedures to ensure the efficient and effective use of public funds. In so doing, GETFund Secretariat did not efficiently expend GH¢1.8 million of public funds from 2012 to 2018.” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL AUDIT REPORT By Sandra Mensah / 3news.com ]]>
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