NDC Bigwigs Run From ‘Cooked’ GNPC Scholarship List

…As Election Year Dirty Campaign Hots Up 

Some leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have fled from a purported scholarship list, that captured their names as beneficiaries of a Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Foundation Foreign Scholarship Scheme.

The list, which surfaced over the weekend, is said to have been engineered by some social media users ostensibly to settle scores in the wake of news portal, The Fourth Estate’s latest investigative piece dubbed; “Scholarship Bonanza”.

But notable opposition stalwarts, including Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu constituency, John Abdulai Jinapor and MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzato Ablakwa, whose names appeared on the list have come out to categorically deny the document, stressing it was an orchestrated agenda to tarnish their reputation.

The one-page blurred document, sighted by The Anchor captioned,“GNPC FOUNDATION FOREIGN BENEFICIARIES” also hadtwo Special Aides to former President Mahama, namely; Joyce Bawa Mogtari and Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who previously served as deputy ministers.

Aside the four politically exposed persons, there were 11 other individuals on the list who The Anchorcould not identify as politically connected. The purported document was dated, 2012-2013, when some of the accused persons, were either deputy ministers or spokespersons.

Interestingly, the purported document was shared by a broadcast journalist with Media General, Johnnie Beresford Hughes with a caption “Odaseni”, meaning ‘Human Being’.

It comes barely two weeks after news broke that, the Scholarship Secretariat, has awarded scholarship to certain politically connected and worthy persons, leading to calls for relook at the activities of the institution headed by Dr Kingsley Agyemang.

Denials

Taking to social media to refute the claim one after the other, the former Deputy Minister for Transport, pointed accusing fingers at some member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) as being behind the circulation of the list.

According to her, she has neither applied, received nor granted government, GNPC, GETfund scholarship and therefore, there is absolutely no truth in the claim.

The Special Aide to MrMahama, said that the move was an agenda to destroy her image.

Mrs. Mogtari, said she has at no point in her career received such scholarship to study at the said Portsmouth University and therefore asked the general public to disregard the obvious untruth.

“Disregard the propaganda and falsehood being peddled by the dishonest NPP apparatchiki that I benefited from a Government of Ghana Scholarship.

Let me state without any fear of equivocation or contradiction that I have never applied for or received a grant or scholarship from either the GNPC or Ghana’s Scholarship Secretariat. And for the avoidance of doubt, I have never been a student of the Portsmouth University.

Kindly treat with utmost contempt the said publication, another confirmation that Bawumia and the NPP are just a bunch of dishonest, lying and untrustworthy persons.

Let me put on record that I have never applied for nor received any scholarship from the GNPC, Scholarship secretariat or GETFUND for any studies abroad.

I will appeal to the general public to disregard such baseless, concocted, and contrived statements”, she posted on her social media handles.

OkudzatoAblakwa

In the case of North TonguMP, he strongly stated that he had under no circumstance benefited from a government of Ghana scholarship.

MrAblakwa, took a swipe at some media personalities he saw as credible, could be swayed to believe such a document was authentic, indicating that he had already discussed the false publication with his lawyers and that in due course, he will take the necessary legal action.

“I have never applied for nor been a beneficiary of a government scholarship of any kind. I therefore implore the general public to treat with utter contempt the deplorable circulation of this malicious and fake GNPC Foundation Foreign Scholarship list.

It is most condemnable that some journalists I hitherto had enormous respect for would proceed to further publish this defamatory list without conducting the basic ethical and professional journalistic requirement of verification.

I hope these journalists and other known persons engaged in this odious conduct will immediately retract and apologize. May I add that I have consequently brought these publications to the attention of my lawyers and would give an indication of my next steps in the coming days,” he also posted.

MP Jinapor

The former Deputy Minister for Power, John Abdulai Jinapor, in a similar fashion also denied the allegation and asked the public to treat it with the contempt it deserves.

“Let me put on record that I have never applied for nor received any scholarship from the GNPC, Scholarship secretariat or GETFUND for any studies abroad. I will appeal to the general public to disregard such baseless, concocted, and contrived statements. Thank you”, the Yapei-Kusawgu MP posted on his official Facebook page.

Ofosu Kwakye

In the view of Ofosu Kwakye, the Abura Asebu Kwamankese (AAK) parliamentary candidate who shared a screenshot of the list said, “Recycled rubbish from the NPP. Disregard the desperate lie folks”.

Source: Anchorghana.com