THE Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has inaugurated a 14-member Council to govern the Scholarship Authority, charging them to administer scholarships strictly based on merit, need, and national development priorities.
Chaired by Mr Samuel Garba, the other members are Inusah Shirazu Esq, Ms Nelly Mireku, Hamidu Adakurugu Esq, Mr Eric Akuetteh Ahele, Mr Alexander Grant Ntrakwa, Ms Vida Owusua Mensah, Frederica Sala Iliasu Esq.
The rest are Ms Joyce Ababio, Dr Saajida Shirazu, Mr Daniel Botchway, Mr Alexander Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, Prof. Benedicta Yayra Fosu-Mensah, and Mr Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie.
Inaugurating the Governing Council on Monday, the Minister stated that public disclosure would be key to rebuilding confidence in the scholarship regime.
He called on the authority to regularly publish the names of beneficiaries and the justification for each award, noting that “this is the era of transparency.”
According to Mr Iddrisu, the President pledged to reform the scholarship system to eliminate corruption, favouritism, and the abuse of public resources by public office holders and their relatives.
“Scholarships in Ghana must no longer be the result of individual discretion, where someone sits somewhere and decides to award a scholarship to a son, cousin, or a politically connected person who can already afford it, while a needy but brilliant student is denied the opportunity,” he said.
He described such practices as unacceptable and ironic in a democratic system. He also encouraged the board to align scholarships with emerging global trends and Ghana’s development needs.
The Minister urged the Council to consider scholarships as tools for diplomacy, Pan-African cooperation, and development partnerships, including support for individuals contributing to peacebuilding and continental integration.
The Chairman of the Council, Mr Samuel Garba, expressed their gratitude to the President and the Minister for the opportunity to serve and pledged their commitment to the task ahead.
BY PRINCE ADDO FRIMPONG
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