GETFund Cash For Mahama�s Schools

Parliament was yesterday locked up in a marathon sitting to consider the formulae for the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) and the National Health Insurance Fund, which are statutory funds. Sources at the Committee of the Whole told DAILY GUIDE that government has dedicated 30 percent of the GETFund revenue for the construction of the 200 new senior high schools (SHSs) promised by President John Mahama. The 30 percent GETFund money is expected to accumulate about GH�300 million every year for that purpose. Most MPs are not enthused about the development because they think that the decision would greatly affect other levels of education. �Already the GETFund is in serious arrears and government is taking this decision to achieve a political goal not to think about other areas of education which are equally important,� an MP told the DAILY GUIDE. As at the time of filing this report at about 5:30pm, Members of Parliament were in a deadlock with the Minister of Finance, Seth Terpker over the approval of the formulae. Most MPs have expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Executive is taking Parliament for granted and think that after coming to Parliament for the approval of these statutory funds for development at the local level, the Executive decides to do whatever it wants with the money. Because of the consideration and the approval of the formulae for the statutory funds, the Public Accounts Committee, which was expected to meet Minister of Finance and officials of the Bank of Ghana, could not sit. Parliament would be rising today, and sitting is expected to run deep into the night before the first meeting of the second session would be adjourned sine dine.