Ghana High Commissioner assures UK-based PhD scholars of action on delayed stipends

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sabah Zita Benson, has assured Ghanaian PhD students studying in the UK that government is taking steps to address persistent delays in the payment of their tuition fees and stipends.

The assurance was given during a meeting with executives of the PhD Scholars’ Cohort in the UK, after the students raised concerns over unpaid scholarship funds that had led to plans for a two-day protest.

The scholars had warned that the demonstration could cause reputational damage to Ghana if the issue was not urgently resolved, citing prolonged delays despite government assurances of full tuition support and monthly stipends ranging from £1,023 to £1,200.

They explained that some beneficiaries have gone for months, and in some cases years, without receiving financial support, resulting in withdrawals from academic programmes. Others, they said, are facing hunger, homelessness, mental distress, and being classified as inactive by their universities due to unpaid fees.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, January 22, 2026, High Commissioner Benson acknowledged the challenges and appealed for patience, noting that the accumulated debt is substantial and requires careful coordination to resolve sustainably.

She reassured the students that government is committed to addressing the concerns of all Ghanaian scholarship beneficiaries abroad.

Following the meeting, the executives of the PhD Scholars’ Cohort, in the spirit of cooperation and good faith, agreed to suspend their planned protest.

Source: adomonline.com