Over 900 people benefited from scholarship bonanza – Fourth Estate

The recent revelation by The Fourth Estate shows that over 900 people benefitted from the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat ‘s scholarship Bonanza through Protocol.

According to their investigation, over 900 individuals benefited from these scholarships, raising questions about the criteria used for selection and the transparency of the process.

The Fourth Estate’s dogged pursuit of transparency, through the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, has led to a directive for the Scholarship Secretariat to disclose the list of recipients, albeit with personal information redacted to protect privacy.

The scholarships, intended to support academically gifted but financially needy students, appear to have been allocated to a broader group, including influential figures and associates of political leaders.

This discrepancy points to a potential deviation from the Secretariat’s primary objective, suggesting a misuse of public funds that were earmarked for educational support.

The total expenditure on scholarships for the two years in question—GHS237.5 million in 2019 and GHS200 million in 2020—further underscores the need for a thorough value-for-money analysis to ensure that public funds are utilized effectively and for their intended purpose.

ALSO READ: Scholarship Bonanza: We’ll soon publish full list of beneficiaries – Fourth Estate

Notably, the investigation unearthed cases where scholarships were granted to individuals with connections to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), including a special assistant to the Second Lady.

This particular case, where GBP17,355 was allocated for an individual who did not attend the university physically and dropped out after a few online classes, exemplifies the potential mismanagement of scholarship funds.

Moreover, the finding that at least 26 individuals received multiple scholarships within the same or consecutive years raises additional concerns about the fairness and equity of the scholarship distribution process.

The Fourth Estate’s commitment to publishing the full list of scholarship recipients is a commendable step towards enhancing transparency and accountability within Ghana’s Scholarship Secretariat.

It is imperative that the public discourse surrounding these findings leads to a reevaluation of scholarship allocation processes, ensuring that future distributions are aligned with the original goal of supporting deserving students.

As the story unfolds, it is hoped that this scrutiny will foster a more equitable and transparent system for educational funding in Ghana.

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