The Minority is demanding an audit into what it claims to be frivolous expenses and a possible case of causing financial loss to the state by the Education Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh in a one million cedis Massachusetts Institute of Technology Program (MIT) held last year.
The group does not understand how such a whopping amount of money will be spent on such a program with an extra 300,000 cedis on travel, boarding and lodging expenses.
Kumbugu MP Ras Mubarak who described the expenses as frivolous wondered why the government had to spend that amount on 13 officials for a training program in the US when GIMPA could easily have organized a similar program for them at a cheaper cost.
He filed an urgent question on the floor to which the sector Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh appeared to provide an answer but he was not satisfied.
MIT Programme
The MIT Programme is expected to create an ecosystem of innovation to drive youth employment in Ghana.
In October 2017, 13 out of 17 officials drawn from National Service Secretariat, National Youth Authority, and National Board for Small Scale industries and National Entrepreneurial Innovation Plan, Masloc, travelled to Cambridge for the four day MIT program at cost of ¢1,635,590.00. The travel and boarding fee was said to have cost the personnel 309,591 cedis.
The program is expected to run for two years which means officials of the youth agencies will incur similar travel costs.
The amount has sent the tongues of the Minority members wagging and they want the Ministry to show the viability of the program.
Ras Mubarak said six months after they returned what have they to show for the expenses incurred.
“What is the value addition to the youth who have been looking for jobs? What incubator programmes have they organized to build capacity of the youth?
But the CEO of the National Service Secretariat Mustapha Yusif has justified the expenses and the relevance of the program.
He argued the training program is to sharpen the skill of all heads of youth agencies in the country order for them to explore better job opportunities for the youth.
“Government sees youth unemployment as a key problem facing it…” he said, adding with such a program it will coordinate and bring all these agencies to brainstorm and get a better job creation model not just for Ghana but Africa.
The MIT innovative lab, he argued is a global lab where when there is a huge challenge facing a country they attend and come out with a model to solve that problem.
Mustapha Yusif said after the program, MIT will help raise funds for the execution of the model drawn by the attendees.
He added on their return from the first phase of the program they have already started a poultry training program for 500 national service personnel.
He said the objective is to ensure that all the 500 personnel who complete this model will establish their own program in various localities.
Source: myjoyonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Jeez, this hungry NDC MP's doesn't have anything good for the country. You are comparing a training at MIT to GIMPA? Helloo..... Fellow Ghanaian, if we will like to get somewhere as a country, we should understand education and training will be driver for us to grow and both comes at a cost. The world is very competetive and therefore we should be ready to able to compete. In order for us to do that, we should always pitch ourselves with the best institutions and MIT fits perfectly into that. With that said, it doesn't come cheap either. Pls dont scream at the mention of every dollar spent, look into what the nation stand to benefit from that spend and judge accordingly. These Politicians wants power, and they can only achieve so by riding at the back of you vulnerable, incite you to scream and guess what will happen when they win power...do worst. Thanks.
Protecting the public purse indeed! You believe in Ghana(GIMPA) so why America (MIT).Hypocrites.
@KOJO which tribe are you?Your writings does not make sense seek for God guidance and you will be safe.Are you from the "kkk" tribe where men are Dogs & women are Cat
NDC parliamentarians stop panicking and if you have a case proceed to court period. Very soon Ghana will be unstable for you "create,loot and share squad". I wish the president turn 1 or 2 castles into Prison for corrupt officials.
You compare GIMPA to MIT? GIMPA will only give them PowerPoint presentation from regurgitated material while MIT will use case studies and practical modules. The cost is however high which must be looked at.
90% OF NDC FORMER APPOINTEES ARE HEADING TO JAIL.THEY ARE PANICKING.18 YEARS MINIMUM JAIL TERM.
@ NANA if we say akans are ***barred word*** some dont understand th mp is fighting for Ghana money not your i d i o ts akans. i said our tribe we dont marry akans we only fu c k them
Wasteful expenditure, just to chop our money. you can equally train these people in Ghana at a cheaper cost.
WAAA LOOK YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR NAPO BUT IT WON'T WASH WAI.YOU GUYS WANTS PROBLEM FOR NAPO BUT HE IS VERY INTELLIGENT AND COMPETENT.
MR MUBARAK YOU DON'T HAVE A CASE WAI.NAPO IS A BIG BOY.HE IS MORE INTELLIGENT THAN YOUR MAHAMA AND ALL NDC MPS INCLUDING YOU.