Ghanaian scholars abroad are facing dire conditions due to prolonged non‑payment of stipends and tuition by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat (GSS), threatening academic futures and tarnishing the nation’s goodwill.
According to Prince Bansah, President of the Ghana PhD Cohort in the UK, “stipends owed range from 8 to 36 months. Some students have not received a single payment in 36 months”. Bansah revealed that even universities have not been reimbursed, with debts estimated at over £39 million.
Economic pressure has led to evictions and food‑bank reliance. Bansah painted the grim reality: “When you’re sick here, it’s only you and your God.” The mental toll is visible—“battling depression, drowning in debt,” with some cases escalated to UK parliamentary.
In the US, 185 Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis are similarly endangered, as the GSS has paid just US $400,000 of a US $3.6 million. The university has threatened to drop their enrolment and revoke visas ahead of the Fall 2025 term.
Students have mounted petitions and protests. On June 4, 2025, Ghanaian students abroad picketed embassies, expressing frustration over unpaid. A formal petition to the President in February outlined hardships: eviction threats, food insecurity, and psychological strain .
The GSS must earnestly heed these cries. The government should urgently release funds, honour agreements with partner universities, and guarantee welfare for students pursuing advanced studies abroad.
