NUGS calls on gov't to settle Ghc600m GETfund debt

The National Union of Ghana Students has alleged that the government is indebted to the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) to the tune of Ghc600 million.

This, according to NUGS, is having a crippling effect on students on government scholarship within and outside the country; as they are unable to pay their fees annually and in some cases have to terminate their courses of study.

At a media briefing in Accra, NUGS President, Prosper Dzitse said this is affecting beneficiaries of the Maths, Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme otherwise known as MATSTESS.

In January this year, Pressure group, the Progressive Nationalist Forum (PNF) charged the government to pay off its debt to GETFUND, which it said amounted to over GH¢ 300 million.

According to the group, the amount of debt accrued is as a result of the government’s refusal to release funds owed GETFUND for over a year.

An Accra Fast Track High Court in July 2014 ordered the Finance Ministry to immediately pay all outstanding arrears owed GETFund.

The court, presided over by Justice LL Mensah found the Finance Ministry’s failure to pay statutory funds into the GETFund illegal, after a suit was filed against the Ministry at the court by Richard Nyamah, the convener of PNF.