Omanghana
The Ghana Scholarship Authority has firmly dismissed allegations of irregularities in its scholarship award process, rejecting claims circulating online that foreign nationals were benefiting from the scheme.
The response follows growing public debate sparked by reports questioning the nationality of certain scholarship beneficiaries and the transparency of the selection process.
Addressing the controversy, the Director-General of the Authority, Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, clarified that the students cited in the reports—twins Emmanuella and Emmanuel Kyei-Frimpong Agyapong—are Ghanaians by birth and parentage. According to him, suggestions that the students are foreign nationals are inaccurate and misleading.
He stressed that the scholarship program strictly prioritizes Ghanaian citizens and that all beneficiaries are required to meet established eligibility criteria before awards are granted. The Director-General further described the circulating allegations as misleading and politically motivated, adding that the Authority remains committed to maintaining integrity and fairness in the distribution of scholarships.
According to the Authority, the awards granted to the students were fully consistent with government policy governing scholarship allocations. Officials emphasized that the process includes verification of citizenship and academic qualifications before approvals are finalized.
The controversy began after widely shared reports questioned why scholarships had been awarded for undergraduate studies in Canada. Critics alleged that the students involved were born and raised in Canada, sparking broader discussions about transparency and accountability in the administration of government-funded scholarships.
Amid the ongoing debate, the Ghana Scholarship Authority highlighted recent efforts to support Ghanaian students studying abroad. The Authority disclosed that it had allocated $1 million to clear outstanding tuition debts for Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis in the United States, a move intended to prevent potential deportations due to unpaid fees.
The issue has also drawn criticism from former National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme Chief Executive Officer Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, who has publicly questioned the current leadership’s management of international academic relations.
Despite the criticism, the Ghana Scholarship Authority maintains that its scholarship awards continue to follow established guidelines and are designed to support qualified Ghanaian students pursuing higher education both locally and abroad.
Source: Omanghana
