GRASAG Warns Government Over Delayed Payment Of Grants

09.01.2018 LISTEN

The Graduate Students Association of Ghana [GRASAG], has given the government and Scholarship Secretariat up to Monday, January 15, 2018, to effect payment for their 2016/2017 bursary and thesis grants.

According to the Association, the Secretariat's attempt to change the mode of payment after application for the grants have been made, will only further delay processes for the payment.

“We are reliably informed by the Secretariat that all beneficiary institutions should collate bank account details of recommended applicants to the Secretariat for direct payment of the Thesis and Bursary Grants to be effected. Though the new mode of payment is ideal, we strongly believe it will only further delay the monies already in arrears. This is not the right time for this to and fro movement of the 2016/2017 bursary and thesis grant,” the GRASAG leadership said.

In a statement signed by the Jacob Apibilla Ayembilla, the National President of GRASAG, the Association said it had no prior knowledge about the plan to change the mode of payment of their grants despite holding various meetings with the scholarship secretariat on other subjects.

“GRASAG, as a major stakeholder, was not consulted before the sudden change in the mode of payment; which we believe is not congenial to the graduate student, at this material moment. The National Executive Committee (NEC) on several occasions met with the Registrar and the entire management team of the Scholarships Secretariat, and this mode of payment never came up in our discussions, we therefore don't agree,” it said.

GRASAG said while it was ready to cooperate with the Scholarships Secretariat to urgently address the matter, it expects that the Secretariat completes payment of all applicants by Monday, January 15.

“We are by this release giving the government and the Secretariat up to Monday, 15th of January, 2018, to pay all recommended applicants. Graduate students have not been treated fairly, and we need to be treated with utmost respect.”