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The Cost of Deferred Dreams: How ‘baby politicians’ misapplied GHS30,000 UniMAC-IJ SRC Student Endowment Fund

Sitting outside the gates of the University of Media, Arts, and Communication, Institute of Journalism (UniMAC-IJ), Fremah (not her real name) was absent-minded. The thought of being denied a small portion of the SRC Endowment Fund, the financial support for the school fees she desperately sought but never received, was a blow too big to bear. Her dreams of becoming her family’s first graduate and PR practitioner slipped further away. 

Three months after her final plea, she received a call. An SRC representative asked if she managed to write her exams. Her voice trembled as she replied, “No, I couldn’t,” only to hear the line go dead with a curt, “Okay, bye,” she narrated her story to me, with eyes drenched in tears.

“They never informed me of their decision. I applied, I followed up, and I was ignored. I trusted them to help, but that trust was misplaced,” she added. 

Fremah’s trust in the SRC was shattered, as were her dreams. Yet, while she shed tears over her deferred dream, others who hadn’t even applied or who applied but didn’t quite meet the fund’s criteria were granted support with alacrity.

Fremah’s story is just one example of deep-seated irregularities in the administration of the Student Endowment Fund. 

Months of investigation revealed how the fund, which was meant to provide financial support for brilliant but needy students, has become a personal tool for abuse and misappropriation by baby politicians acting as student leaders. The fund is now a breeding ground for corruption by these student leaders who seek a transition into career politics.

“It’s very frustrating here at UniMAC-IJ”

At UniMAC-IJ, formerly GIJ, as in many other tertiary institutions, Fremah’s story is not unique. Fees have long been a source of anxiety for many students, with some grappling with the dual pressures of completing coursework and managing financial burdens. 

Most students can testify that at UniMAC-IJ, you don’t only think about completing coursework but also paying fees. It’s very frustrating here at UniMAC -IJ ,”  Fremah said.

Students at UniMAC-IJ, a non-residential institution, are known for their activism about school fees. Tuition costs are set at a minimum of GHS2,800 ($177) for an academic year, a considerable expense that many students deem exorbitant. 

In 2018, students of the institute hit the streets in pain and disappointment. Their protest followed an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate with management over fee reductions and amnesty for those who could neither pay on time nor at all. The protests successfully led to the postponement of exams and forced management to reconsider some policies.

“Students who have paid their fees and registered are eligible to take part in exams. These include students who faced challenges with registration online and were assisted by the Academic Affairs Department to register. However, Management is still eager to consider students who paid the required fees by the November 21st deadline and have been unable to register online for any reason,” management stated in the press release. 

However, fee-related issues re-emerged in 2021, escalating into an intense 48-hour protest. This was followed by a communique from management informing students that those unable to pay their fees before the deadline had to defer their programs. This decision hit hard, particularly for students already struggling with financial pressures in a non-residential institution.

Unlike the protestors of 2021, Fremah, unable to join any protest, had no choice but to accept her fate quietly. She was left with only the silence that followed her unanswered pleas for financial help.

The Troubled Fund: History and Allocation in Three Years

Amid these recurring protests, the Student Endowment Fund stood out as the only hope for many. Created as a buffer for students in need, it was to provide some financial assistance to pay their students’ school fees in part or full. 

The Endowment Fund is financed through student dues, with continuing students contributing GHS50 and new students GHS90. This fund is optional and not mandated by the SRC Constitution, nor is its continuity assured under every administration. Its establishment, funding level, and allocation depend entirely on the discretion of the incumbent student leadership.

Bismark Owusu, a former SRC President, described the fund as a “CSR from the SRC.” Over the past three academic years (2020/2021, 2021/2022, and 2022/2023), successive SRC administrations have allocated resources to support this initiative, underscoring its role as a voluntary yet impactful student-led intervention.

Academic Year

SRC President

Amount (GHS)

2020/2021

Nii Lantey

11,880

2021/2022

Edem Tutu Vine

Not officially recorded (12,000)

2022/2023

Bismark Owusu

14,000 officially recorded but more than that used

In the 2020/2021 academic year under SRC President Nii Lantey, questions about the Fund’s allocation began to surface. Dennis Attoquaye, identified as a Politically Exposed Person (PEP), was a beneficiary of the Fund. During later interrogations, Dennis admitted that he had used the funds for purposes unrelated to school fees. While he claimed to have repaid the amount of GHS500, he failed to produce receipts when asked years later.

Source: SRC Auditor General Report

That administration also saw other Politically Exposed Persons benefiting from the Fund, including Bismark Owusu, who later became SRC President in 2023; Dennis, who became Speaker of the General Assembly in 2022; and Felix Etornam, who assumed the role of Financial Secretary in 2022.

In 2022/2023, the UniMAC-IJ Student Representative Council (SRC) administration under Bismark Owusu (McKoy) officially recorded GHS14,000 for the Student Endowment Fund in their budget

However, during a conversation, then-Vice President Yasmin Rafat revealed that more funds were spent than reported. She attributed the discrepancy to an already-approved budget by the General Assembly, which meant that the additional funds spent were not reflected in the official records. She further justified the extra spending, explaining that manystudents required financial assistance that year. However, this spending wasn’t captured in the auditor’s report.

The current administration under Fati Ali promised to do better, vowing to restore transparency and accountability while depositing GHS30,000 into the fund, the highest amount so far. As part of these efforts, they created the Student Aid Facility Committee (SAFIC) to oversee the management of what they now call the Student Aid Facility. Yet, despite these measures, her administration has been plagued by allegations of misappropriation and growing disillusionment among students.

Fati’s Administration: Broken Promises

                                                    SRC President UniMAC-IJ, Fati Ali 

In August 2023, as the SRC elections approached, presidential aspirant Fati Ali, vying to become the first woman to hold the position, was pressed with questions about her plans for student welfare. Then, GIJ Radio reporter Isaac Akpa inquired about her vision for improving student support systems.

Fati made bold promises to reform the endowment fund. Acknowledging the lack of clear guidelines and accountability that had plagued the fund’s administration under previous executives, she vowed to introduce a Legislative Instrument (LI) that would establish specific protocols for managing the fund.

“…another thing I’m very passionate about is the endowment fund,  same with the constitution again, there is a conversation on the endowment fund, but there’s no instruction regarding how to it should be done. So, every president comes to the office, and they help people they can help, and sometimes there are no receipts even to show that we paid fees for these people and the people that we give it to. What the Fati-led administration would do is that we are going to enact a LI…”

She proposed creating a dedicated oversight committee that would not be influenced by “family and friends” and ensure a reasonable amount would be allocated to the fund to help as many students as possible. For some, the fund would also include a loan scheme to provide more sustainable support.

“First, we have to elect the competent committee, not just a friends and family committee, …” – Fati Ali.

When Fati Ali was further asked by Isaac Akpa about how they will administer the fund, she said, “…I mean you and I know that everybody will come in with their stories, some stories do not add up, that is why the committee is very important so that it is not just going to be at the discretion of the president or just the executives.”

These promises were a ray of hope for students like Fremah, who had a great ambition to complete her course despite her financial challenges. She was not alone. Several others looked forward to a seamless execution of the fund and the fulfilment of promises from a female president who was expected to be empathetic towards the needy students. But was she? 

“I Need GHS400 to Complete My Registration”

The Legislative Instrument (LI) crafted by Yvonne Nequaye’s (head of the endowment fund committee) also specifies that the Endowment Fund’s loan provision applies to all students.

“Loans are generally applicable to all students, excluding level 100 (1st semester) students and top-up (1st semester) students, subject to legislative instrument specifications.”

A screengrab from the Legislative Instrument

Having already paid GHS2,500, Sulemana Seidu, a Level 300 student with a GPA of 3.3, faced an outstanding GHS400 requirement to complete his registration for another semester. In his application for the endowment fund, he assured the SRC of prompt repayment by the end of July if support from the fund is granted. 

“I have already paid GHS2,500, but I still need GHS400 to complete my registration for the upcoming semester. If I receive the funds, I will repay by the end of July or earlier,” Sulemana pledged. 

A screengrab of Sulemana’s application form

But days turned into weeks, and his requests were met with silence. 

SRC President Fati Ali on Radio GIJ, emphasised that the fund would function partly as a loan scheme for students able to repay.

“It is not just going to be given to just any student and for some of the conditions it is going to be on a loan basis.”

Despite his assurance of repayment, Sulemana revealed what he believed to be a potential oversight: his application lacked referees, a supposed requirement for approval. Explaining this, he said, 

“My potential referees were quite engaged when I was filling out the form. However, I kept in mind that by the time the team (the Endowment Fund Committee) reached out, I would have already obtained their permission to serve as my references.”

However, further investigations revealed a troubling inconsistency; those who benefited from the fund, referees were not contacted.

Sulemana is one of the many students who applied for financial support from the Student Endowment fund but was turned down with a loud silence. Like Fremah, whose dream of becoming a PR practitioner was nearly derailed due to financial struggles, Sulemana had hoped the fund would provide some relief. 

Emmanuel Mawuli a final-year student with a 3.8 GPA applied but didn’t benefit said to me, “I kept following up but to no avail. I had to get another means of catering for the fees.

Deborah Tawiah, a final-year diploma student, applied with a GPA of 3.0. She said to me, “I tried my best by applying and waiting for feedback because I needed help. But no responses from them (the SRC). I also heard people say the fund is for  smart students with a GPA of 3 and above.”

Screengrabs of Deborah’s application and her reason for applying 

While the SRC promotes the Student Endowment Fund as a lifeline for financially struggling students, the experiences of Sulemana, Emmanuel, and Deborah reveal a troubling gap between promise and practice. In the fund’s second tranche, eighty-six (86) students officially applied, including five duplicate submissions (from application records accessed during the investigations), each with urgent financial needs. Of the 81 applicants, 22 were final-year students, approximately 27.16%. 

However, like these four students, a many others found themselves left in limbo. Their pleas were met with silence, leaving their academic aspirations in jeopardy. 

Screengrabs of some student’s reasons for applying 

“Just speak to Evans Adjokatse”

Evans Adjokatse, Secretary of the Endowment fund committee

While deserving students struggled to access financial support, others benefitted despite failing to meet the criteria in the Legislative Instrument (LI) governing the Student Endowment Fund at UniMAC – IJ. The LI explicitly states that:

“Qualifying for a loan under the Student Aid Facility at UniMAC – IJ is contingent upon meeting specific criteria and undergoing a thorough verification process to ensure the validity of the loan application.”

It further specifies that loans are not available to first-semester Level 100 students or top-up first-semester students.

Despite this, Solomon Duah, a first-semester top-up student, received GHS1,500 from the fund after applying for assistance to cover his GHS2,000 debt. 

A screengrab of Solomon Duah’s application

At the time of his application, no results had been uploaded to his student portal, and he did not attend an interview, a standard part of the application process. “They should have interviewed me, but I didn’t go through that,” he admitted. Instead, after submitting his application, Solomon reached out to the Secretary of the Endowment Fund, Evans Adjokatse. “I left everything in his hands. He [Evans Adjokatse] knows me, so talk to him,” Solomon said.

Evans Adjokatse, reached by phone, declined to comment and did not respond to messages.

Additionally, Solomon revealed that he was unaware of any set criteria governing the fund. “I didn’t know about any criteria. I needed help, and I just applied and spoke to Evans,” he confessed.

In contrast, students like Prince Ahenkorah, who maintained a GPA of 3.75, applied for the endowment fund and received no feedback from the SRC on his application status.

Another beneficiary, Peter Aboko, applied for the endowment fund with a GPA of 2.9, as indicated on his application form. According to Peter, there was no interview process involved.

I owed GHS2,990. The SRC paid GHS1,300 into the school’s account on my behalf. I was just called and told that part of my fees had been paid,” he recalled. 

A screengrab from Peter’s application 

When asked why he believed his application was successful despite the absence of an interview, Peter suggested that being notable in school and having well-known referees could influence the decision. However, his referees revealed that they were never contacted by the SRC during the verification process.

The Legislative Instrument governing the fund specifies that interviews or discussions may be conducted in cases of those with concerns about an applicant’s academic standing. These interviews allow applicants to elaborate on their motivations, aspirations, and challenges.

“It’s private, I can’t disclose the amount I received” — Abdul Karim Anwarideen 

Abdul Karim Anwarideen, a final-year diploma student at UniMAC-IJ, confirmed that he is a beneficiary of the Student Endowment Fund. However, when pressed about the specific amount he received, Abdul refused to disclose it, saying, “It’s private.”

Abdul’s application for the fund was approved without an interview. In answering the question about his reason for applying, he only stated on the form that it “will help me to achieve my goal.”  His GPA on the application form was listed as 2.5, raising questions about the eligibility criteria and whether an academic performance was often a benchmark for such funds.

When asked about the guidelines governing the Fund, Abdul acknowledged being aware of the Legislative Instrument (LI) that regulates its operations but provided no further details.

A screengrab of Abdul’s application

At the same time, eight (8) students like Prince Ahenkorah, who maintained a GPA above 3.5, were left without support.

“We Need the Money to Pay for Another Student Urgently” – The SRC said to Christian.

Christian Adiabo, a final-year student and beneficiary of the fund, applied and received GHS1,250 to cover his tuition. “My source of funding was delayed, so I needed help,” he told me. According to Christian, the process was informal, there was no interview. “They only called to ask if I could repay the money,” he said.

But the informality didn’t end there. Just a week before exams, Christian received an urgent call from the SRC. “We need the money now to pay fees for another student,” they told him. Pressured by the request, Christian rushed to campus later that evening and repaid the money, not into the official Student Aid Facility bank account as the LI directs, but directly to the Financial Secretary, Mercy Adomaa Sarpong, one of the account’s signatories.

Receipt of Christian’s payment to the SRC

They didn’t mention any bank account payment to me, Christian disclosed. 

The LI mandates that all repayments must be deposited into a dedicated bank account created exclusively for the Student Aid Facility. This account is meant to centralize payments, ensure accountability, and simplify the process for beneficiaries. Additionally, any withdrawals from the account require the signatures of the three SAFIC signatories, the Financial Secretary, Chairperson, and Secretary.

“It wasn’t me who applied. Someone else did”

According to the Legislative Instrument (LI) governing the SRC Student Aid Facility at UniMAC–IJ, “Qualifying for a loan under the Student Aid Facility is contingent upon meeting specific criteria and undergoing a thorough verification process to ensure the validity of the loan application. The following outlines the eligibility criteria and verification procedures: 1. Enrollment Status: Applicants must be registered and actively enrolled students at UniMAC–IJ during the relevant academic period.”

A screengrab of the LI

Despite these clear guidelines, Benjamin Acquah, alias DJ Sacrifice, disclosed on Facebook (archived here) on April 9, 2024, at 16:24, that he received funding from the Student Endowment Fund. However, my investigations proved that he did not apply for it nor attend lectures that semester. I reached out to Acquah, who disclosed that he had deferred his programme. Acquah was taken aback to learn that his fees had been covered even though his portal still showed an outstanding balance.  “When I deferred, I could still see a debt on my portal,” he claimed. 

He had informed Fati, the SRC President, of his intention to defer, to which she responded with a simple “okay.”

He further stated that the previous SRC administration under McKoy had promised to cover Acquah’s fees due to his role on their campaign team, but they failed to deliver on that agreement, leading Acquah to distance himself from them (SRC). McKoy however debunked the claim made by Benjamin Acquah.

Later, to his surprise, one late night, Evans Adjokatse, the Secretary of the Endowment Fund, called to question why Acquah had not been attending lectures, even though his fees had already been paid. It was only then that Acquah realized the transfer had been made without his knowledge.  “It wasn’t me who applied; someone else did for me,” Acquah told me.

To address these discrepancies and understand how funds were disbursed without proper verification, I reached out to both the SRC and Evans Adjokatse, the Secretary of the Endowment Fund, for an interview and further clarification. Despite repeated attempts, they failed to respond to my inquiries.

The LI

Copy of Student Aid Facility (Endowment Fund) updated 08.12.2023.pdf

“I’m out of office, I can’t respond to your RTI request, ” – Fati Ali

After receiving numerous complaints and allegations from students, I invoked the Right to Information Act 2019 (Act 989) to request specific information from the Student Representative Council (SRC) in August 2024 regarding the management of the Endowment Fund. The information sought includes: 

  1. The names of individuals who benefited from the Endowment fund in the 2023/2024 academic year.
  2.   The list of beneficiaries for the second tranche of the SRC Endowment fund.
  3.   The contact addresses in points 1 and 2 above.
  4. The terms and conditions associated with the money allocations to these beneficiaries.
  5. The eligibility criteria that qualify an individual to become a beneficiary of the Endowment Fund.
  6. The repayment plan for students who have taken loans, including the timeline and structure for repayments.
  7. The interest rate applied to the loans provided through the Endowment Fund.
  8. The total amount allocated to the Endowment Fund for the 2023/2024 academic year.
  9. The amount disbursed in the first tranche of the Endowment Fund.
  10. The amount disbursed in the second tranche of the Endowment Fund.
  11. The total amount attained by each beneficiary in points 1 and 2.

Despite the statutory obligation to respond within 14 working days, the SRC failed to provide any information. Subsequently, I filed an internal appeal to SRC President Fati Ali, which also went unanswered. I then escalated the matter to the RTI Commission. The Commission reviewed the appeal and directed the SRC to release all requested information, except for contact details, which were exempt under the Act. 

The Commission, however, finds that “the contact addresses in points 1 and 2 above” are exempt from disclosure under section 16 of Act 989. 

Section 16 provides as follows: 

(1) Information, the disclosure of which is unreasonable concerning the personal affairs of an individual whether living or deceased is exempt from disclosure. 

However, after months of delays and silence, the SRC President responded by stating she was out of office and unable to address the request, despite being in office when the initial application was made.

Fremah, who should have been in her final year by now, watches her dreams slip further away after being forced to defer her programme. The fund she had counted on to stay in school failed her when she needed it the most.

“It’s hard not to feel forgotten, she said softly, her voice tinged with disappointment. “This fund was supposed to help students like me, but now all I can do is hope things get better,” she pointed out.

This report was first published on the Dubawa Ghana website on the 24th of December, 2024, and it was funded by the MacArthur Foundation through the Next Gen-Campus Reporter Project.

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