Ghanaian PhD students studying in the United Kingdom have raised concerns over prolonged delays in the payment of their tuition fees and stipends, warning that their planned protest could cause a “huge embarrassment” to Ghana if the situation is not urgently addressed.
The warning comes ahead of a planned two-day protest by the students to draw attention to what they describe as persistent neglect of their welfare, despite several complaints to the relevant authorities.
The students say withdrawals from academic programmes have increased due to the government’s silence on the issue. They explained that although they were sponsored by the Government of Ghana with assurances of full tuition coverage and monthly stipends ranging between £1,023 and £1,200, many have gone months and in some cases years without receiving the funds.
According to the group, the delays have left several students facing hunger, homelessness and mental distress, with some forced to withdraw from their programmes after universities classified them as inactive.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One Newsroom on Saturday, January 17, 2026, President of the Ghanaian PhD Cohort–UK, Prince Komla Bansah, said all diplomatic efforts to resolve the matter have failed.
“We have exhausted all the diplomatic procedures. There was an overwhelming support for the demonstration. It’s a very serious situation. We will do the protest in the next couple of days. What my executives whispered to me is that the demonstration will be a huge embarrassment to the state, and we hope that some action is taken now, before those instances begin to play out,” he said.
Mr Bansah disclosed that some students plan to mount tents at the British Parliament to highlight their lack of accommodation.
“You can imagine students mounting tents and sleeping at the British Parliament because there is no place to sleep. How is that going to sound? Nobody is making any efforts to address the issue,” he said.
He warned that the demonstration could seriously damage Ghana’s image abroad if immediate action is not taken.
He further complained that the situation has not improved, noting that some students have not received their renewal letters even though the academic year began in 2025.
“The situation has not improved. We are still in the same situation. PhD students are being withdrawn and blocked,” he said.
Mr Bansah added that although students were earlier informed that a board had been constituted and that stipends would be paid by February, no practical steps have been taken.
“There are so many students who are no longer considered by their universities as active students. It’s been one year now, and we haven’t seen practical steps towards addressing the situation. That is why we have planned to protest,” he said.
He warned that some students risk deportation if payments are not released, explaining that several have received withdrawal notices and are awaiting correspondence from the UK Home Office.
“Some of the students have received withdrawal notices. They are awaiting letters from the Home Office, and if the payment is not made by the government, they will be deported,” he said.
