The Member of Parliament for South Dayi constituency in the Volta Region, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamkpor, says that the issues with the Scholarship Secretariat are not solely attributable to the Registrar, Dr Kingsley Agyemang.

According to him, the issues with the Scholarship Secretariat stem from the inequitable distribution of public funds.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, April 13, Mr Dafeamkpor dismissed claims by the Auditor General that the GETFund was usurping the role of the Scholarship Secretariat by granting scholarships.

He clarified that when the Auditor General's report was presented before Parliament, the Auditor General was informed that he was mistaken because the GETFund law allows the GETFund to allocate funds to the Scholarship Secretariat for scholarship disbursement.

“We told them that there’s no substantive enactment of Parliament governing the activities of the Scholarship Secretariat and that we would prefer the statutory entity to actually account for its fund by rolling out the scholarship other than giving it to a Scholarship Secretariat that is not bound under any law.”

The South Dayi MP asserted that the Scholarship Secretariat is an extra-ministerial body set up and placed under the Office of the Presidency, emphasising that even when the Auditor General audits them, it is done under government machinery.

“So it’s buried under agencies found under the Office of the Presidency so the details do not come out,” he added.

He highlighted the fairness, equity, and transparency of the GETFund's work, stating that the GETFund prioritises students with better grades.

Read also: Scholarship Secretariat’s request for a law is a demonstration of incompetence – Kofi Bentil

“So when you apply to GETFund and you are a continuing undergraduate student with a second upper CGPA of 3.4, and someone else has 3.5, GETFund will prioritise the applicant with 3.5 over you; that is fairness.”

“As for GETFund, we’re able to account and there is transparency but the Scholarship Secretariat, none. So it’s such a big problem and that is why the Minority is saying that interdict the man and ask the Auditor General to conduct a special inquiry or audit into his activities between when he assumed office and when he will be interdicted," the South Dayi MP said.

Read also: We need a law to regulate who qualifies for scholarship and who doesn’t – Scholarship Secretariat Registrar

Mr Dafeamekpor stressed that if individuals misconduct themselves in public office without consequences, they will consider themselves to be in a comfort zone and will continue their misconduct.

“Dr Agyemang cannot say that there is no law governing his conduct in public office. You are a public officer, you are enjoined by the L.I 2378 2019 underpinning the public financial management - while as a leader of the covered entity in disbursing public funds, you ought to apply certain transparency and guidelines,” he added.