Togbe Afede XIV condemns corruption and scholarship misuse in Ghana

Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, has condemned corruption as a primary obstacle to Ghana’s development. Speaking at the 2026 Asogli Te Za celebration, he highlighted the severe economic desperation experienced by citizens between 2022 and 2024, noting that many preferred the risks of xenophobic environments abroad over domestic economic conditions.

He cited rising suicide rates as a consequence of this hardship, reporting 134 cases in 2024 and an increase to 175 cases in the first half of 2025. Togbe Afede linked this desperation to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which caused many to lose their life savings.

The traditional leader specifically criticized the misuse of state resources, describing it as disgraceful when top government officials utilized scholarships intended for needy students to fund studies abroad for themselves and their families. He expressed full support for anti-corruption efforts, including the ‘Operation Recover All Loot’ (ORAL) initiative, and called on Ghanaians to support the Attorney-General and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in prosecuting economic crimes.