A senior reporter at The Fourth Estate, Seth Bokpe, has revealed that approximately 104 beneficiaries of the Scholarship Secretariat who studied abroad have not yet returned to Ghana.
This disclosure comes after an investigation into the operations of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat by the media outlet.
During an appearance on Newsfile on JoyNews, Bokpe emphasized that these beneficiaries had signed agreements with the Secretariat, committing to return to Ghana upon completing their programs.
“Majority of these courses we spend money on outside are in Ghanaian universities. We also found that at least 104 beneficiaries are yet to return to Ghana although they have signed bonds to do so.”
“At least three of these beneficiaries have been living abroad in the last five years, and it will be interesting to find out how they even signed their bonds before being given the scholarship,” Mr Bokpe added.
A recent investigation by The Fourth Estate exposed discrepancies in the distribution of scholarships by the Scholarship Secretariat. The probe revealed instances where scholarships were granted to individuals from affluent backgrounds, contrary to the mandate of providing aid to deserving but underprivileged students.
Notable beneficiaries highlighted in the investigation include the daughters of prominent figures such as Ghanaian lawyer and politician Freddie Blay and former Inspector General of Police David Asante-Apeatu. These findings suggest a departure from the Secretariat’s intended focus on supporting financially disadvantaged yet academically gifted students.
Furthermore, the report uncovered cases where some recipients received multiple scholarships, while others struggled to receive their stipends from the government, if they were awarded scholarships at all.
Speaking on these revelations, Seth Bokpe stated that approximately 30 individuals, including politicians, their relatives, diplomats, and individuals linked to social elites, were identified as scholarship recipients. He also highlighted the absence of clear selection guidelines beyond basic criteria such as Ghanaian nationality and possessing a university degree.
“Contrary to the claims that the award has been decentralised to the extent that if you go to the district level you will get a scholarship, there is no evidence that those who went abroad were actually awarded at the district level,” Mr Bokpe said.
He added “The registrar told us that because of the courses involved, they do not award the foreign scholarships at the local level, so you have to apply in Accra. Now how do you apply in Accra if there is no call for application? There is no publication of even the list of beneficiaries to make the process transparent.”
During their investigation, Mr. Bokpe mentioned that an interview with Dr. Clement Apaak revealed that the Scholarship Secretariat cannot be held accountable as it falls under the Office of the President.
“When you hear the number of allegations that come against the Secretariat including people saying they paid so much to get it but then you have a situation where they are virtually shielded, it becomes problematic,” he said.