A big scandal erupted after Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Zita Benson, publicly asserted that the Mission was stuck with a £32 million scholarship debt, purportedly generated by the previous administration.
The matter gained steam after presenter Paul Adom-Otchere aired the footage on his show, expressing amazement at both the content and tone of the diplomat’s remarks.
According to the High Commissioner, the situation was serious and inheritable stating, “It’s a big issue for us. It’s something I came to meet, the scholarship secretariat under the former administration created this mess for us. The debt is huge, £32 million.”
She also questioned why Kingsley Agyemang, the current Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South and previous Director of the Scholarship Secretariat, had not been held accountable.
However, Adom-Otchere criticized the public nature of her comments, contending that a diplomat shouldn’t say anything that damages the country’s reputation or offends diplomatic sensitivities.
“You cannot sit in the United Kingdom, a place that prides itself on the rule of law, and say, ‘I don’t know why somebody is walking around.’ Diplomats don’t talk like that. Must you tell the whole world that Ghana owes £32 million? Such matters require measured communication.” he said.
Hon. Agyemang, the previous head of the Scholarship Secretariat, responded sharply to the video shortly after it became viral.
He rejected the High Commissioner’s assertions as false and ignorant. “What is she talking about? She doesn’t even know what she’s talking about.”
Agyeman explained that because of the nature of its business, the Scholarship Secretariat has always had annual indebtedness stated, “Scholarship debt is not a scandal; it’s a continuous liability because schools start the academic year, and payments are staggered. That is the nature of the system.”
He maintained that his accounts were correctly balanced when he left the office, saying, “When I left, I had cleared up to £57 million worth of obligations. Most of what she’s calling ‘debt’ was already being processed and paid.”
“If she has evidence, let her bring it,” Agyeman added, challenging the High Commissioner to present accurate data, “She claims she has a petition, let her submit it to Parliament. That is the proper way.”
Paul Adom-Otchere urged the High Commissioner to exercise professionalism and caution in light of the intensifying interactions, saying, “She represents Ghana, not herself. Her communication must reflect a democratic Ghana, rule of law, due process, and diplomatic decorum.”
“Allegations of wrongdoing must be proven,” he said, advising the responsible handling of sensitive material regarding state liabilities, “Making such claims casually in a public-facing video is dangerous.”
Source: newsthemegh.com