The Minority in Parliament has slammed the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government for failure to support Ghanaian students abroad on government scholarships, leading to dire consequences for hundreds of students.
The NDC Minority described the plight of the students as “heart-wrenching” and “humiliating.”
The students, many of whom were awarded scholarships to pursue higher education at prestigious institutions, particularly in the United Kingdom, are reportedly facing severe hardships, including the inability to pay tuition fees, the threat of expulsion, and potential deportation due to the government’s failure to fulfil its financial obligations.
In a statement, MP for Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, disclosed that many students are resorting to desperate measures to survive.
“Some male students are compelled under the circumstances to sell their sperm for £150 to £250, while some female students, out of sheer desperation, are being forced into unwanted and exploitative relationships simply to have a roof over their heads or to make ends meet. No Ghanaian student should ever be subjected to such indignities,” he lamented.
According to him, 927 students pursuing postgraduate degrees, including 785 Master’s and 142 PhD students, are affected, with an estimated £17,613,000 owed in tuition fees alone. This excludes the stipends that have remained unpaid for months.
The NDC Minority demanded swift action from the government to rectify the situation, calling for the immediate payment of all outstanding tuition fees and stipends to the affected students.
“The future of these students—and by extension, the future of Ghana—should not be jeopardised any longer due to this gross negligence,” the statement read.
The Minority also urged the government to reopen negotiations with universities that have severed ties with the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat stressing that restoring these relationships is critical to ensuring that future students are not denied the opportunity to study abroad and return to support the development of our dear country.
Dr. Apaak warned that the neglect of these students is not just a betrayal of individuals but a betrayal of the entire nation.
“These students are the very people we expect to return home with the requisite knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to drive national development. Government’s failure to support them, not only jeopardises their futures but the future of Ghana itself,” he said.
The Ranking Member hinted at reforms to the scholarship system under a future NDC government, should it be given the mandate in the 2024 elections.
He said, “It is partly for this reason that the next NDC government, led by H.E. John Dramani Mahama, seeks the mandate of Ghanaians to, amongst others, introduce legislation to usher in a new era of government scholarship administration.”
Dr. Apaak promised a transparent system that would “prohibit the award of scholarships to government officials” and streamline the process across sectors to avoid the current lack of coordination.
The Minority vowed to stand with the affected students and continue to hold the government accountable and charged the administration to act immediately to avoid further national embarrassment and irreversible damage to the future of our youth.