Earlier Suspension Of Planned Demonstration Regarding Non-Payment Of Tuition Fees, Stipends, And The Issuance Of Renewal Letters
The executive committee of the PhD cohort under the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat (GSS) wishes to provide the following detailed account of the decision to call off our previously planned demonstration, which was scheduled to take place on January 28th and 29th, 2026, at the Ghana High Commission, London, and the British Parliament.
Background
As a result of extreme delay in administrative processes and the government of Ghana's failure to release funds to address students' tuition and stipend problems, many of our members have been withdrawn from their courses. A significant number have been reported to the United Kingdom (UK) Home Office for their visas to be revoked and eventually deported. Due to the cataclysmic state of affairs, several students, including other cohorts (Undergraduates and Master’s), are currently in serious distress, with many receiving deportation notices from the UK Home Office, while others have had to rely on food banks and the benevolence of friends and poor families to survive. Additionally, students who had part of their tuition fees paid during the last academic year are unable to continue their studies this academic year (2025/26).
The GSS has failed to issue renewal letters, and the second part of the academic year is nearing an end. This unfortunate development has already led to casualties – some students already deported to Ghana. You may recall that in 2024, former vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, intervened in a similar situation to avert the imminent deportation of students from the UK after the students petitioned him through lawyer Samson Lardi Anyenini of Joy FM. Despite all efforts (calls, emails, and media reportage) to get the authorities to address the issue, it remains unresolved, leaving students in a state of despair and distress.
Several attempts, including direct messages to key members of this very government, have been extremely unsuccessful.
Meeting with the Ghana High Commissioner to the UK
Having exhausted all avenues to resolve our plight, the student body decided to embark on a two-day demonstration. However, the High Commissioner, H.E. Zita Benson, through her Head of Chancery, Mr. Mawutor Alifo, extended an olive branch to the executive committee of the PhD cohort, and a meeting took place on January 21, 2026. In attendance were several government representatives at the Ghana High Commission office in London, including the deputy High Commissioner. During our meeting with the High Commissioner, she admitted that she had been in touch with some universities regarding the issues and was working hard to obtain a resolution from Accra. She also showed us evidence of correspondence and actions taken in respect of the issue since assuming office. On behalf of the student representative body, we presented five issues for redress, three of which were our topmost urgent considerations. These include,
- Tuition fee non-payment
- Stipend non-payment
- Renewal letters
With regard to the tuition fee and stipends, we provided a structured table of the amounts involved after we obtained the necessary data from our members. As a result, we estimated that 55 million Ghana cedis could address all outstanding issues (stipend and tuition fees arears) for the PhD cohort. A careful review of our data also shows that some of our colleagues have not been paid for close to 40 months. We also decried the failure to issue renewal letters to our members, and even though the High Commissioner promised to have the GSS office in Accra address these concerns imminently, we have yet to receive the letters. This has led to several students being blocked from their studies, while others have been withdrawn or asked to postpone their studies since they could not re-enrol without the renewal letters.
On the part of the High Commissioner, she gave us a tentative date of mid-February to provide results on the issue. Given this promise and the fact that she had inherited the problem, the executive body called off the demonstration as a sign of good faith. We are also mindful that, as citizens of Ghana and having reached the highest state of learning, we are normatively obliged to raise the flag of our dear country anywhere we find ourselves. These thoughts also motivated our resolve to call off our initial planned demonstration to
allow the High Commissioner to address the issue as promised. Unfortunately, February has almost ended with no resolution in sight yet, although the High Commissioner has indicated that she is still 'pushing' to get Accra to address the issues.
Way forward and recall of our earlier intention
The situation has now reached a tipping point where the students can no longer bear the frustration, dejection, and abandonment. We therefore call on His Excellency President Mahama and the Finance Minister to kindly attend to this perilous situation confronting us (students) and release funds to help address the issue. However, even with our restraint and fidelity to our country, it may become difficult for the student body in the UK to remain silent and wallow in abject neglect. There is, therefore, an overwhelming support among colleagues for a demonstration in the coming weeks should the situation remain the same. We hope and trust that the government considers these matters as serious and urgent to avert any potential diplomatic embarrassment that these actions could cause our dear nation.