Mahama Vows to Reform Scholarship Program, Ban Government Officials from Applying

John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, has pledged to reform Ghana’s government scholarship program to prevent conflicts of interest if elected. Speaking at the launch of the NDC manifesto, Mahama criticized the current system, which he claims has been misused by state officials who can afford to finance their children’s education.

Mahama’s proposed reforms would include a ban on government officials and political appointees from applying for these scholarships, which are intended to assist those who cannot afford higher education. He highlighted the prevalence of “kalabule,” a term meaning deceit, within the current scholarship system and promised to make the process more transparent and equitable.

“Government scholarships have been fraught with a lot of ‘kalabule,’ meaning deceit. We want to streamline it, and as I’ve said, persons with conflicts of interest will not be allowed to apply for the scholarships. None of my ministers will do it,” Mahama stated.

Mahama emphasized that scholarships should be reserved for underprivileged children who genuinely need financial assistance, rather than those who can afford it. “Any political appointee must not apply for the scholarships, you must pay. Children under privilege, those who cannot afford it are the ones who must get the scholarship,” he added.