The Ministry of Education (MoE) has set the records straight in connection with the controversies surrounding the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP).
The ministry in a statement said critics are only on a mission to tarnish the image of the Education minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum.
“Otherwise, what could motivate them to continue publishing unfounded allegations and claims against the honourable minister and other officials after the World (WB) came out to clarify issues and vindicate the honourable minister and his team?” a statement issued and signed by the press secretary of MoE, Felix A Baidoo, said.
According to the statement, the World Bank, the lead sponsor, and lead implementing ministry, MoE, have on two separate communications, extensively addressed all the “unfounded allegations and claims, factual inaccuracies, misleading interpretations and other concerns” with the aim of bringing finality to the matter.
“Unfortunately, however, it is now clearer than before that those behind such character assassinating reports are deliberately embarking on a vicious smear campaign project against the patriotic, selfless and hardworking Minister of Education, Dr Osei Adutwum, for reasons best known to themselves,” it said.
Continuing, the statement flatly denied the latest report that the minister presented a so-called “fictitious report” reportedly to persuade the World Bank for the release of US$1.2 million meant to execute the GALOP.
In the first place, the statement stressed that this was a project the minister and the ministry never executed.
The statement went on to note that this news report was obviously intended to indict the “conscientious hardworking honourable minister.”
“Where and when did it emerge and who suspects that the minister presented a fictitious report to World Bank to obtain funding for a project that was not executed? …Why are we doing this to ourselves as a people?
“Are these people saying that they are more knowledgeable and wiser than the World Bank when it comes to project funding, implementation, monitoring and evaluation?” the statement asked.
It wondered why would the World Bank go ahead and release fund after discovering all these claims.
“…And, if they released the funds mistakenly before realising what these mischievous reporters are saying, why are they not recalling the fund and sanctioning us?” it questioned.
“Ordinarily, we shall not be bothered about such unfounded allegations and deliberate misinformation, however, we deem it expedient and highly imperative to detoxicate the media landscape of such maliciously published toxins before they affect the perception of the general public.”
According to the MoE statement, the World Bank has “intelligent and hardworking officials” who painstakingly verify project reports before approving them for further deliberations and work.
“And, the GALOP went through such vigorous system and process before adoption. They have found nothing wrong with our report and have no ill-suspicions about the lead implementing agencies and or their officials.
…The bank has made that sufficiently clear. And, the Ministry’s communications outfit is prepared to give further clarification to issues that anybody does not understand about the project. The Honourable Minister and ministry have nothing to hide,” the statement concluded.
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