Copyright rainbowradioonline
The Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Chapter, has accused the management of the school of deliberately withholding student funds. The statement, which was signed by the Central President for GRASAG-GIMPA, Celestina Adu, described the move as a calculated attempt to frustrate its programmes and undermine student-led initiatives. She issued the statement after some aggrieved students demanded accountability for how the mandatory GHC 200 charged to students had been used. The aggrieved students had alleged that Patron Prof. Wisdom Akpalu told them that there was currently no functioning Graduate School.He is also accused of imposing the GRASAG President on the students, effectively bypassing the established protocol requiring free, fair, and transparent elections. Additionally, the aggrieved students further alleged that they were troubled as to why Registrar, Dr. Victoria Mwinsumah Puoyeng Kunbuor, was a signatory to the GRASAG accounts. However, Celestina Adu, in the statement issued on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, refuted these claims and defended Prof. Akpalu and the Registrar. The statement from her described the claims against the two as “malicious and fabricated claims” circulated by unnamed individuals seeking to discredit their integrity. She, instead, alleged that the financial obstruction orchestrated by the management of the school had crippled several of its flagship events, including the 24-Hour Economy Public Lecture and the Women’s Empowerment Summit, both of which were central to this year’s GRASAG Week celebrations. “Repeated letters and follow-ups have not yielded any results,” the statement read.“The timing and persistence of these financial restrictions suggest a calculated effort to sabotage GRASAG–GIMPA’s initiatives and silence critical student-led engagements that promote empowerment and intellectual development.” The statement noted that despite the financial constraints, its executives had continued to operate using their own limited resources to sustain core activities and uphold their constitutional responsibilities. It highlighted some initiatives Patron, Prof. Wisdom Akpalu, and the Registrar, Dr. Victoria Mwinsumah Puoyeng Kunbuor, had led.“All financial transactions are carried out in full compliance with banking and institutional regulations,” the statement clarified, alleging that certain individuals within the Institute were attempting to “undermine honest leadership and install a more compromised Patron who would permit the misuse of student funds.” GRASAG–GIMPA also accused some senior lecturers of lobbying to be appointed as Patron of the Association, a move it described as unethical and detrimental to the independence of student leadership. The statement praised Prof. Akpalu for his “impeccable integrity, competence, and devotion to public service.” It highlighted several initiatives undertaken under his advisory leadership, including the establishment of the Graduate Studies Endowment Fund in 2021 with a seed capital of GH¢50,000 to support financially challenged students. Celestina Adu commended Prof. Akpalu for facilitating the provision of study rooms furnished with modern facilities and helping to set up a Business Centre that provides subsidized printing and academic services to students. Meanwhile, she has called on the management of the school to immediately release all outstanding student funds, including arrears from previous academic years, and to refrain from actions that “stifle academic freedom, student welfare, and progressive leadership.”She assured that the Association remains committed to transparency, accountability, and democratic governance. The President added that preparations were underway to hold elections for new executives as the tenure of the current leadership ends in November. GRASAG–GIMPA expressed solidarity with Prof. Akpalu and Dr. Victoria Mwinsumah Puoyeng Kunbuor, apologising to them for the “fabricated allegations” made by what it called a few individuals with vested interests.“GRASAG–GIMPA remains devoted to truth, transparency, and the continued growth of the GIMPA community,” the statement concluded. By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
