A former administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), Sam Gariba defends alleged incidents of wasteful expenditures and illegality during his time in office between 2012 and 2016.

The Auditor-General in his performance report of the GETFund for the period of 2012 to 2018 found that the GETFund circumvented due processes and awarded scholarships in a wasteful manner and also to underserving Ghanaians.

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The amount was captured in the recently approved Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) formula for 2018.

In the formula, each MP was allocated GHc60,000 for the projects and GHc15,000 for their monitoring.

This amounts to a total of GHc 20.6 million out of the GHc924 million approved as the amount to be disbursed this year from the GETFund.

Out of the amount approved for the GETFund, 35.48% representing GHc328,136,603 has been allocated to tertiary institutions, 27.72% representing GHc246,323,360 will be going to secondary schools; 27.37% representing  GHc253,11,580 to basic schools, while other expenses by the GETFund amount to GH¢66,604,000, representing 7.2%.

The allocation for the MPs’ projects and monitoring represents 2.23%.

The allocation for the MPs is a slight increase from 2017, where GHc15,125,000 and GHc4,425,000 were allocated to the MPs Emergency Projects and monitoring respectively.

The GETFund is a public trust set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000.

Its core mandate is to provide funding to supplement government effort for the provision of educational infrastructure and facilities within the public sector from the pre-tertiary to the tertiary level.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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It also revealed that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), will be the source of funding for priority projects in the various tertiary institutions in the country in order to realise this purpose.

[contextly_sidebar id=”3mCP6N0owCDJTgp6gArHnett6aBfgWDf”]The announcement was made by the Minister for Planning, Prof. George Gyan-Baffour on Saturday, in a speech he delivered on behalf of President Nana Akufo-Addo to end the 1st Session of the 22^nd Congregation of the University of Education, Winneba.

“The Free SHS policy which we expect to boost enrollment in our Senior High Schools will ultimately lead to greater demand for tertiary education. As a nation, we must therefore, as a matter of urgency, begin to prepare for the increased numbers, and government is committed to expanding access to tertiary institutions to accommodate the expected increase in demand”, Prof Gyan-Baffour stated.

On the reliance on the GETFund for the expansion, he explained that, “An amount of GHc255 million representing about thirty-two percent of the total GETFund allocation this year, has been allocated to the tertiary sector for the implementation of priority projects’”

According to the statement, the move is to ensure that no Ghanaian who passes out from the senior high school and is qualified is denied quality tertiary education.

Ongoing Educational Reforms

The Planning Minister also hinted of massive educational reforms underway that will see the face-lifting of the educational sector from the basic to the tertiary level.

“The Ministry of Education has embarked on a review of the legal, institutional and regulatory framework of its agencies to ensure that they are properly aligned to provide a clearer understanding of their functions, and strengthening their mandates to perform efficiently”.

Also currently under review are the National Council for Tertiary Education Act, Act 454, and the National Accreditation Act, Act 744.

The Minister further announced that to improve quality at the pre-tertiary level of education in the country, “government has committed itself to reforming the curriculum at the pre-tertiary level to focus on the 4-Rs, namely, writing, arithmetic, reading and the creative arts”, adding, that “we are also committed to the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics”.

In the area of technical and vocational education, Prof. Gyan-Baffour said the reforms will realign technical and vocational institutions to the Ministry of Education to link them to the Technical Universities to spearhead government’s One District-One Factory policy.

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By: Joseph Ackon Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The situation requires government’s intervention to save the students from the exploitation of landlords and landladies who charge exorbitant rent.

Mr. Solomon Saka Allotey, the acting Principal of the school, made the appeal in a speech read on his behalf at the College’s 2017/2018 academic year matriculation ceremony at Kintampo in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

He said the College received 5,100 applications, but due to limited facilities like inadequate lecture halls and comparatively small-sized ill-equipped skills and science laboratories among other physical infrastructural needs, only 1,058 qualified applicants comprising 624 males and 434 females could be admitted.

With the existing 1,919 students, the total student population of the College has increased to 2,977.

Mr. Allotey stated  that an uncompleted four-storey Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) hostel facility that was started by ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor but was abandoned before the end of his regime, was still at the mercy of the weather.

“The Board and Management of GETFund must come to the aid of the College as a matter of urgency to salvage the situation to avoid the tax-payers’ money going down the drain”, he appealed.

Mr. Allotey announced that to surmount the challenge of limited resources, the College introduced sandwich programmes for the award of Diploma in 2017, and would introduce degree awarding programmes on sandwich basis in 2018.

He reminded the matriculants of their primary aim to graduate as well-trained qualified health professionals from the College at the end of their respective programmes, and therefore cautioned them to guard against engaging in social vices as they were inimical to both academic and professional excellence.

Mr Michael Sarkodie Baffoe, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kintampo North, expressed concern about the recent confrontations, accusations and counter-accusations, tensions and acrimony between the leadership of the institution, and wondered “if such an environment can train professionals to ensure complete mental, physical and social well-being of our people”.

He stated that Ghana was not yet out of the shackles of poverty, hence if those stalemates were allowed to persist in institutions of higher learning, then the future was bleak for the country.

Mr. Baffoe therefore appealed to the Management and staff to make amends to prevent any future occurrence of such impasse to put the name of the College on a high pedestal for onward progress of the Kintampo North Municipality and Ghana in general.

Established in 1969 as Rural Health Training School with two certificate programmes, the CoHK now runs 15 programmes consisting of Direct and Post Basic Diploma Courses, Bachelor of Science Courses, Masters in Clinical Psychiatry and Clinical Dermatology.

Those 15 programmes are grouped under six Departments of Community Medicine, Community Health, Health Information, Oral Health, Biomedical Science and Mental Health.

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Source: GNA

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GETFund in a statement however assured that it is committed to its obligations towards students who are studying abroad on government sponsorship.

[contextly_sidebar id=”PtVHs1lFo5i0ZxrOlY1GjNKJcOm4cAsz”]Some Ghanaian students studying in the United Kingdom on GETFund scholarship, recently threatened to embark on a demonstration in London over their unpaid stipends.

The affected students said they had not received their stipends since September 2016, and thus served notice of a demonstration on Friday, March 3, 2017 in front of the BBC Broadcasting house in London.

The GETFund, according to its statement, is aware of the arrears and has “since the beginning of the year [2017] been corresponding with some of the schools and students as to our arrangements to settle our obligations.”

The fund attributed the problems to transition challenges which it assured are being addressed.

“The GETFund has been confronted with some challenges recently but these are being resolved. Parents and students are thus assured that our obligations regarding the scholarships will be honored soon.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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A statement issued by the affected students and copied to citifmonline.com said government’s failure to pay their fees and rent which has been in arrears since September 2016 has left them stranded.

[contextly_sidebar id=”BZy5jiJDvBu1K9ta6XtNPoHjEAqz5rIW”]The statement said they will demonstrated on Friday, 3^rd March, 2017 in front of the BBC Broadcasting house in London.

“We are tired of struggling and have waited patiently for the transition in governments but we cannot bear the struggle any longer.”

“All attempts to gain the attention of government and the secretariat have proved futile. We have been struggling since we arrived for our PHD and other postgraduate programs but we’re at our wits end now,” the statement said.

It added that “the embarrassments of being chased for fees and rent because of government’s abandonment is unbearable hence our decision to demonstrate.”

Last week a group of about 20 Ghanaian students studying in China on government scholarship also lamented over government’s failure to pay their fees. They said the situation has left them demoralized as the financial constraints threatened their academic work and possible graduation.

The challenge in paying allowances and fees of Ghanaian students studying on scholarship outside the country have long persisted, spanning through various governments.

In February 2013, some students who were studying under the GETFund scholarship were faced with a court action over their failure to pay rents of up to 1,550 pounds.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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This past week has seen some contractors working on GETFund projects picket at the Ministry of Finance to demand monies owed them, to the tune of over GHc 300 million spanning a period of six months.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Fl16IHRTgq8ID63rQKQYVE9u8DiUx6CR”]The Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors in the Volta Region also threatened to block access to roads and facilities they have constructed on January 6 if they are not paid monies owed them, with the GETFund singled out as the main defaulter in this regard.

In an interview with Citi News, the Deputy Administrator of GETFund, Stephen Baffoe, said the Fund will start the disbursement of an initial GHc 110 million received from the Ministry of Finance, based on the advice of its Board of Directors.

The Finance Ministry has promised to pay the remainder of the money owed deserving contractors, and Mr. Baffoe is optimistic that the Ministry will honour its promise of paying the remaining money.

“We have been having discussions with the Ministry of Finance. We are sure that if the levels of discussions go on, they may be able to top up what they gave us on Tuesday. But given that the week is drawing up to a close, the board has advised management to begin disbursing the GHc 110 million whilst we wait for the Ministry to top up.”

“So from [Friday], we are going to pay those who, this GHc 110 million, is able to go round to them. We would then expect that the Ministry will top up as has been promised” Mr. Baffoe stated.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The association at a press conference on Wednesday lamented that all the projects their members undertook were pre-financed with funds from financial institutions, and the delay in payments coupled with the interest on loans could force them into liquidation.

Speaking at the press conference, the Secretary of the association, Emmanuel Afetorgbor, noted that “the contractors who sacrificed their resources to execute these projects stand a chance of liquidation and loss of livelihood as a result of the inability of government to pay for these projects.”

“It is important to note that, all these projects are pre-financed by contractors by whatever means, especially form banks and financial institutions,” he added.

Mr. Afetorgbor cited the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) as the major defaulter in this regard, saying the Trust “owes contractors unpaid certificates spanning over six months.”

The GETFund has already been at the centre of some protests with some contractors working on its projects picketing at the Ministry of Finance to demand monies owed them, to the tune of over GHc 300 million spanning a period of six months.

Explaining their precarious situation, Mr. Afetorgbor said “most of these locally based contractors depend on funding from the banks and interest obviously accrues on the sums borrowed to the extent that the certificate values get consumed by the banks leaving the contractors nothing to pay their workers and their suppliers. This action by government has rendered most companies redundant with debts lingering on their heads.”

“The Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors is therefore giving government an ultimatum to pay up monies owed the contractors by Friday, January 6, or members will have no option but to lock up the facilities or block roads they sacrificed to construct,” Mr. Afetorgbor concluded.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmoline.com/Ghana

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The protesting contractors gathered at the GETFund head office and later made their way to the Ministry of Finance.

The contractors say government owes them over GHc 300 million spanning a period of six months.

Managers of the GETFund have however blamed the Ministry of Finance for its inability to pay contractors who the Fund says it owes close to GHc 300 million.

Managers of the Fund have indicated that, until the Ministry of Finance releases money to them, they cannot pay the contractors.

When the contractors made their way to the Finance Ministry, one of the protesters, Daniel Tanor, said they had heard from the Deputy Finance Minister, Casiel Ato Forson, and he said his ministry only owed the “GETFund GHc 106, 000 and that they have released that money.”

Speaking to Citi News’ Philip Nii Lartey, Mr. Tanor, however, expressed doubt in Mr. Forson’s assertion saying “it is never true that is what the Ministry of Finance is owing the GETFund… We believe what Ato Forson is saying is really not the issue.”

He maintained that the protesters may finally march to the presidency as thier last resort.

“The President is the last person and we are trying all within in our capacity to meet the relevant authorities, and if it fails then we will hit the President’s premises, the FlagStaff House,” Mr. Tanor said.

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Photos: Philip Nii Lartey

By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The contractors have lamented that government owes them, over GHc 500 million spanning a period of six months and they believe a protest will get the President to listen to them.

One of the affected contractors who spoke to Citi News on behalf of his colleagues, Daniel Tanor, said the situation is crippling their businesses since most of them go for loans from the banks to pre-finance the projects.

He also said a number of the contractors were being hounded by banks and some suppliers because of their inability to pay debts.

“We have been able to find out that the Ministry of Finance has not given GETFund money to pay the contractors. We came to the conclusion that the only thing we can do is to demonstrate. If we do that the President will listen to us.”

“If they are not paid by 11 am on today [Tuesday] all GETFund contractors will hit the streets, move to the Presidency, that is the Flagstaff House. If we don’t see the President then we will go to his house,” Mr. Tanor said.

Managers of the GETFund have however blamed the Ministry of Finance for its inability to pay contractors who the Fund says it owes close to GHc 300 million.

The Deputy Administrator for GETFund, Stephen Baffoe, indicated that until the Ministry of Finance releases money to the Fund, they cannot pay the contractors.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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