GETFund Board of Trustees inaugurated

Accra, Feb. 9, GNA - Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman, the Minister of Education, said the importance of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) in providing funding for educational infrastructure and facilities within the public sector cannot be understated.

She said despite the fact that about 30 per cent of the national budget is dedicated towards the educational sector there still remains daunting challenges that require 'huge' resources to meet the sector's targets.

Prof Opoku-Agyeman was speaking at the inauguration of a 17-member Board of Trustees of the GETFund in Accra on Monday.

The members of the Board are responsible for the management of the Fund and the GETFund Act 2000(Act 581) enjoins them to pursue policies to achieve the objectives of the Fund; collect or arrange to be collected monies lawfully due to the Fund; account for the money in the Fund; contribute in accordance with section 2 (2), (C), monies from the Fund towards the operation of student's loans schemes for tertiary institutions, etc.

Other responsibilities of the Board are to approve and pay expenditure charged on the Fund under the Act and any enactment, organize fund-raising activities to raise money for the Fund, and impose such charges as it considers necessary for services rendered by the secretariat of the Fund.

She said the GETFund was established to provide financial support to supplement the provision of education by the central Government and has creditably performed its role.

The Minister said Ghanaians were very much aware of the significant interventions that have come in to support education from the Fund at the various levels all in a bid to improve quality of teaching and learning outcomes.

She said an amount of GH¢843,899,000.22 was allocated to the GETFund in 2015 and that this amount was spent on various projects including the Community Day Senior High Schools, Basic Education Infrastructure, the Students Loan Trust Fund and scholarships amongst others.

Prof Opoku-Agyeman said there is a growing demand for GETFund support from all institutions and that there is the need for the Board to reposition itself and be more strategic in its operations to satisfy the needs of the sector.

'I entreat the Board to familiarize or equip themselves with on-going developments and interventions in the education sector in order to advise and communicate effectively on issues relating to the Fund and the sector at large.'

Mr Adjetey, the Board Chairman, said resources have always been scarce and that the Board will make an efficient use of the available resources to serve the educational infrastructure needs of the country.

He thanked President John Dramani Mahama for the confidence reposed in him and assured him of bringing his long time experience and expertise to promote the GETFund.

The Board is chaired by Mr Larry Adjetey, Chairman and members include Mr Sam Garba, Administrator; Mr Patrick Nomo, Ministry of Finance; Mr George Blankson, Ghana Revenue; Mr Enoch H. Cobbinah, Ministry of Education; Alhaji Osuman Seidu, Office of the Chief Imam; Dr Josiah Cobbah, National Council for Tertiary Education; Mr Ivan Abubakar Avereyireh, Financial Institution - Insurers; Mr Daniel Asiedu, Financial Institutions- Bankers; and Mr Helene C. Quaye, Financial Institutions.

Other members are Professor William Otoo Ellis, Vice Chancellors- Ghana; Mr Paul Apanga, Ghana National Association of Teachers; Mr Michael Zigah, Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students; Nene Sakitey II, Ghana Education Service Council; Mr Kweku Bedu Addo, Ghana Employers Association; Mr Charles A. Atuahene, Association of Ghana Industries; and Ms Dinah Adiko, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

GNA