Senior Vice President of IMANI-Africa, Kofi Bentil says the Scholarship Secretariat's request for a law to regulate its operations is a demonstration of incompetence.

According to him, public offices are expected to be occupied by competent and reasonable people who use their power and authority wisely.

His comment comes after a report by the Fourth Estate uncovered instances where scholarships designated for financially disadvantaged students were awarded to successful politicians and their relatives.

Notably, the daughters of the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a former Inspector General of Police were listed among the beneficiaries.

Read also: Scholarships Bonanza: Former Miss Ghana, others on full list – Part 2

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, April 13, Mr Bentil stated that Ghana's constitution requires anyone with power to publish the principles and rules by which they will make decisions.

“The scholarship secretariat has essentially been given the powers of the public purse to exercise discretion in these areas. They have failed to publish it.

“He, asking for a law proves that he is incompetent for the job. I am not saying we should not make a law, but laws do not do everything, and we do not need laws to prescribe and make sure every rule is written," he told host Samson Lardy Anyenini.

The IMANI Africa Vice President emphasized that if Ghanaians cannot trust people to occupy certain offices, then the country is doomed.

He stressed that; "If we make the mistake of putting people there and they come and tell us because I do not have a law that would tell me to do this and that, ( I cannot use my discretion) then that person has disqualified him or herself from that office.”

Mr Bentil said that the Scholarship Secretariat must publish the rules for its scholarships and those responsible for exercising discretion should do so in the interest of the public.

He further stated that the Scholarship Secretariat must not frustrate people who are seeking information such as journalists, civil society groups, and ordinary citizens.