Accra: Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, has expressed concerns over the longstanding issues of corruption, cronyism, nepotism, and wastefulness in the allocation of government scholarships. These scholarships have historically been awarded to children of the political elite and high-ranking officials, often neglecting the needs of children from less privileged backgrounds.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Ghana Scholarships Authority Bill, 2025, seeks to establish legislation that addresses and rectifies the corruption and injustices that have tainted the scholarship award process in the country. Mr. Ayariga, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, advocated for bipartisan support in Parliament to pass the bill into law. He emphasized that this would help sanitize the scholarship awarding process and ensure that deserving students receive the financial aid they need.
The proposed scholarship law intends to limit government scholarships to courses not available in local universities. This measure aims to prevent the wasteful expenditure of paying foreign universities for education that can be acquired within Ghana. Mr. Ayariga also urged support for a provision in the bill that includes the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection on the board of the Ghana Scholarship Authority, promoting gender balance in scholarship distribution.
Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, voiced his full support for the bill, stating that it would benefit the people of Ghana by ensuring fairness and transparency in the scholarship allocation process.
