Order forensic audit of all scholarships awarded since 2017 – Minority tells Special Prosecutor

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has urged the Special Prosecutor to audit the operations of the Scholarship Secretariat.

They said revelations published by The Fourth Estate, make such an exercise by the Kissi Agyebeng-led Office of the Special Prosecutor an imperative.

“We urge the Special Prosecutor to order an immediate forensic audit of all scholarships awarded since January 2017,“ a portion of a press release dated April 8 read.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs in the release signed by Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, MP for Akatsi North said, also called for the immediate interdiction of the Registrar of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, Kingsley Agyemang, pending investigations into its operations.

The Minority said their call has become necessary due to the allegations levelled against officials of the Scholarship Secretariat by The Fourth Estate and some unsuccessful applicants.

“We call on President Akufo-Addo to act swiftly in this matter in order to protect the public purse from further abuse.”

 

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“The Minority in Parliament has taken notice of an investigation by the Fourth Estate into the award of scholarships by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, an agency under the Office of the President.

The investigations, which span the period between 2019 and 2020, reveal very sordid details of the award of Government of Ghana scholarships on the basis of political patronage, influence, favouritism, among other considerations, contrary to the object of these scholarships which are supposed to be given to deserving, needy but brilliant students.

The series of investigations by the Fourth Estate have since been corroborated by other patriotic Ghanaians, both home and abroad. Many have cited instances of extortion, bribery and collection of kickbacks allegedly involving the Registrar of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, Kingsley Agyemang, and other officials,” Mr Nortsu-Kotoe wrote.

There are no laws that disqualify wealthy individuals from applying for scholarship – Scholarship Secretariat

The press release added that, “Other first-hand chilling accounts of our compatriots who have reached out to the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat for help, reveal wanton corruption and gross abuse of office by these officials of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government.

For instance, the investigations revealed that while many are being denied these opportunities to pursue academic programmes that will benefit the nation, a medical officer with deep roots in the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a big private practice at Airport Residential Area in Accra, who by all indications could afford higher education, was awarded as much as $50,000 for a post-graduate course at the Ivy League Harvard University.

The investigation further revealed that in one instance, an official of the NPP was awarded multiple scholarships to the tune of £57,210 for a post-graduate course, while a Special Assistant to the spouse of the Vice President, Samira Bawumia, was awarded £17,355 for post-graduate studies in the UK. Interestingly, Samira Bawumia’s Special Assistant did not step foot at the school, nor complete the programme.

Widespread reports of multiple scholarships worth several thousands of dollars, sometimes awarded to the same individuals in same year, reveal the extent of abuse of the tax payers money. Worst of all, it has been reported that these awards are sometimes handed to NPP-aligned persons for two-week training programmes abroad, in return for some kickback.”

 

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