Ace broadcaster Bernard Koku Avle has reacted angrily to the scandal that has rocked the GETFund Secretariat over the awarding of scholarships to some MPs, Ministers, media practitioners, lecturers and associates of some political figures, calling on the President to as a matter of urgency overhaul it.
Since Monday, Ghana’s social media space has been awash with anger after an Auditor-General report revealed that some people believed to be ‘well to do’ in the country are beneficiaries of a scheme designed for needy but brilliant Ghanaians.
Among the names that emerged from the list are Education Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Procurement Minister Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, Deputy Agricultural Minister Kennedy Osei Nyarko and a son of NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
On the February 27 edition of the Citi Breakfast Show, an angry Koku Avle went on a full rant, slamming the Secretariat for its decision to award foreign scholarship for courses that could be studied in Ghana.
The 2018 GJA Best Journalist could not makes sense of the decision to pump money into foreign universities at a time when Ghanaian private universities are struggling to stay aloft.
Bernard expressed doubts with Parliament’s readiness to do a diligent job on the scandal and lambasted the MPs who he claims have insulted the Auditor-General since the release of the report.
He bemoaned the institutionalization of ‘who you know’ by the political class which he believes has rendered the poor in society hopeless.
He argued that the awarding of these scholarships is a slap in the face of the government’s Free SHS programme which seeks to provide equal opportunity for Ghanaians to access education.
Below are some of Bernard Avle’s comments
The President needs to use the Auditor-General's report on GETFund to start some far-reaching reforms. The system needs an overhaul - @benkoku #CitiCBS
— CitiNewsroom (@Citi973) February 27, 2020
Why would GETFund give someone money to go and do a Bachelor's Degree abroad? It doesn't make sense and they should stop defending it - @benkoku #CitiCBS
— CitiNewsroom (@Citi973) February 27, 2020
MPs are insulting the Auditor-General for doing his job on the GETFund issue and people are defending them or are keeping quiet because it concerns their party members. How is that possible?
— CitiNewsroom (@Citi973) February 27, 2020
We just don't love our country - @benkoku #CitiCBS
We've institutionalised 'who you know' in this country to a point where there's virtually no hope for poor people - @benkoku #CitiCBS
— CitiNewsroom (@Citi973) February 27, 2020
We're in a country where the government's flagship policy is predicated on the fact that parents can't afford to pay SHS fees, not to mention tertiary fees. So how can you justify these scholarships awarded by GETFund? - @benkoku #CitiCBS
— CitiNewsroom (@Citi973) February 27, 2020
