Registrar of Ghana Scholarships Secretariat, Alex Kwaku Asafo Agyei, has revealed that Ghana owes UK educational institutions over £32 million in unpaid scholarship fees.
Asafo Agyei urged Ghanaians who seek scholarships to study in the UK to remain patient as the Secretariat works to settle the staggering debt of £32,999,901 owed to educational institutions.
“If my party people and other stakeholders call me concerning scholarships for relatively to the UK, I tell them to calm down for now because Ghana owes the United Kingdom £32 million.”
Breaking Down of the £32,999,901 Owed to the United Kingdom Educational Institutions
The Registrar provided a breakdown of the arrears owed to UK institutions include tuition fees for the 2023/2024 academic year: £9.9 million, Legacy debt: £2.57 million, Stipends for 2023/2024: £13.2 million, Tuition fees for 2024/2025: £4.1 million, Stipends for 2024/2025: £3.1 million.
He also noted that the debt has reportedly increased since he assumed office.
Speaking in an interview with Accra 100.9 FM, Asafo Agyei emphasized that the debt is a legacy issue he inherited upon assuming office and highlighted the challenges of managing such liabilities publicly due to potential adverse effects.
“My philosophy is simple: when you are appointed, you inherit both assets and liabilities,” Asafo Agyei explained. “As a leader, my responsibility is to find a way forward and solutions.”
He admitted that many of the financial and other challenges facing the Secretariat are sensitive and, if exposed to the public, could have adverse consequences.
He explained “Some of the issues I inherited, if brought to the public domain, have their own adverse effects, so sometimes we manage them quietly. I decided to channel most of these issues through Parliament and the Presidency so that they understand my position.”
The UK is not the only country affected by Ghana’s scholarship arrears. Asafo Agyei revealed that Ghana also owes significant sums to institutions in Hungary, Cuba, Russia, Morocco, Algeria, and several other countries.
He stressed “This is not the only arrears owed by the Secretariat. The figures mentioned are limited to the UK; other countries are also owed, including Hungary, Cuba, Russia, Morocco, Algeria, and many others.
“Recently, Morocco and Algeria appeared in the media stating that Ghana owes them 11 months of unpaid scholarship funds.”
Source: www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
