Ghanaian students can jeopardise bilateral relations - Hungary Diplomat

Accra, Aug. 15, GNA - Ms Nike Szkarosi, the Chargé d' Affaires of the Hungary Embassy, has noted that media reports that Ghanaian students are starving in her country could undermine bilateral relations and affect future scholarship packages.

She says relations between Ghana and Hungary of late have been very warm on the political, business and trade fronts, hence the need for caution about such media reports.

Ms Szkarosi told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra that the scholarship offer was part of a long standing relations between Ghana and Hungary and her country's new policy towards the South

Mr Zoltan Balog, the Hungarian Minister of Human Capacities, who led a government delegation to Ghana, last April, announced a scholarship agreement that would enable 50 Ghanaian students to study in various disciplines in his country including slots in agriculture, the oil industry, IT, arts and music.

The scholarship was also part of Hungary's reactivation of relations with Ghana after a 30- year stalled diplomatic ties.

Ms Szkarosi said the monthly stipends of 40,460 HUF (Hungarian Forint) for undergraduate and Masters Students and 140,000 HUF for PHD students were meant for basic living cost being offered by the Hungarian tax payer.

'This is a lot of money and Hungarian parents give less to their children in school,' she said.

She said the scholarship made it possible for the students to work and so from June - August the students were at liberty to earn a living.

Ms Szkarosi said what made the publication very disturbing was that Mr Andras Szabo, the Hungarian Ambassador visited Hungary with members of the Ghana -Hungarian Friendship Association, including Dr Lawrence Tetteh, the Co-ordinator of the body for the slot for the scholarship from Ghana to be raised from 50 - 100 students per each academic year.

She said the visa applications of the second batch of students, awaiting orientation were also being processed.

The Chargé d' Affaires advised the Ghanaian students to make minimum sacrifices for their education as a long term venture, 'since the future is knowledge and knowledge is power'.

Dr Tetteh told the GNA that: 'Some of these kids have all of a sudden forgotten how they cried to be given this opportunity to study in Hungary. This is ingratitude.'

He said during his time of studies in Hungary the country was offering only four scholarships to Ghanaian students 'and so I feel very disappointed with the turn of events'.

Dr Tetteh appealed to the students to channel their grievances to the government and not Hungary. GNA