Opinions of Monday, 24 February 2020

Columnist: Adjei Boakye

They should know better

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I almost fell off from my sickbed, in that critical condition when I heard some political Gurus in our political circles has been sponsored by the scholarship Secretariat to further their Education. I stand to be corrected...

As the Akan will say, "how bad was it prepared for it not be cooked enough for human consumption in the end."I am not all that surprising because some have been diagnosed with "Congenital covetous." Not being sensational, but we have to speak the truth to power.

If my memory serves me right, Ghana Education Trust Fund Act 200, has started it clearly at Act 581 Part 1, objective 2b that, GETFUND is to provide supplementary funding to the scholarship Secretariat for the grant of scholarships to gifted but needy students for studies in the second-cycle and accredited tertiary institutions in Ghana.

The question am asking is, are the likes of Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh(Minister of Education) and Dr. Prince H. Armah gifted but needy Students...?

Spraying United States dollars on these grown-ups who double as government officials, totally befit purpose and it goes against the principles behind logical reasoning. Currently, I am in a confused state.....this is a total abuse of power and we shouldn't promote this as a state.

We should be bold enough, to discourage the act in which government officials will be running to government agencies to solicit funds to fund their education and other educational trips. These people are doing a total great disservice to the state and we should speak against it.

We were encouraged to be citizens but not spectators. Surely, I will remain so, without any fear or favour.

I stand to be corrected, GETFUND as a state agency is one of the main sources of funding to the Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF). For some time now, the Trust Fund has been forced to rely heavily on recovered loans to disburse to students. This is due to the delay in the release of funds from GETFUND and other stakeholders. This has affected thousands of students within the four walls of this country.

Who can convince me that, the likes of Adwoa Safo and the NACCA boss are gifted but needy Students....?

So these political kingpins can no longer fund their education;..then we have a long way to go as a country.

I am sad as a student, and also a student activist because most of my colleagues are in the house, some too have been sacked by school authorities, all in the name of fees and the delay in disbursement of funds from the outfit of SLTF which is being funded by GETFUND.

We should all speak the truth to power, irrespective of the political colours. These politicians should think about Ghanaian students and the youth at Large. We expect them to know better, so they should do the needful.

Thank you.

Adjei Boakye

Student Activist.

Convener- Aggrieved Student Loan Beneficiaries.