Ghana High Commission to proceed with PhD scholars' verification

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sabah Zita Benson, has announced that the High Commission will proceed with a verification and oath-taking exercise for PhD students in the UK sponsored by the Ghana Scholarships Authority (GSA).

The initiative has faced opposition from scholarship beneficiaries' leadership, who have characterized the requirement as unnecessary and discriminatory. The students argue that they have already signed bonds committing them to return to Ghana upon completion of their studies. They have also raised concerns regarding outstanding tuition fees and stipends.

High Commissioner Benson defended the move, stating that the existing scholarship bonds require beneficiaries to comply with requirements set by the GSA, including evaluations and surveys. She noted that the bonds require students to return to Ghana within two months of completing their studies and that failure to comply could result in being held liable for the reimbursement of scholarship funds. Benson further rejected demands for guaranteed reintegration into the Ghanaian job market, noting that no such obligation exists in the signed agreements.