Professor Stephen Adei emphasizes the necessity for transparency within Ghana’s Scholarship Secretariat system

Former GIMPA Rector, Professor Stephen Adei, emphasizes the imperative for improved transparency in the scholarship allocation process. This comes in response to a report by The Fourth Estate, which revealed instances of scholarships earmarked for financially disadvantaged students being awarded to successful politicians and their relatives. Notably, beneficiaries included the daughters of the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a former Inspector General of Police.

During an interview with Joy News on Wednesday, April 4, Professor Adei underscored the importance of making all scholarship applications and recipients public. He urged the media to play a crucial role in holding the government accountable to this transparency standard.

“The media people can help greatly by insisting that that is done and then what we see as people are alleging Blay and other people ministers and those things having their children there, then the Ghanaian public would react” he said.

In addition, Professor Adei pointed out that while it might not be illegal for children of affluent and influential individuals to receive scholarships intended for the financially disadvantaged, it is unquestionably unethical.

He acknowledged that there might be limited legal recourse in such cases but emphasized the importance of recognizing the moral implications of such actions.

Professor Adei reiterated the necessity for ongoing vigilance from both the media and the public in holding the government accountable. He stressed that this issue is fundamentally about social justice.

“For example, you won’t believe that my son went to KNUST, and my friend was the vice-chancellor. I was then rector of GIMPA, but I said I would like to pay for it, and I paid for my son, and he was even entitled to a government scholarship. So, it is a moral issue.

“I am wondering whether, on a moral issue, you can punish or take the people to court. I think that when the list is published, there are some who, if they knew the list was published, would not go for it in the future.”