Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced plans to expand consular support for Ghanaian students abroad, including the establishment of student desks in 72 Ghanaian diplomatic missions and the negotiation of additional bilateral scholarships.
He said the measures form part of efforts by the Mahama Administration to improve services for Ghanaian students overseas and to ensure they return home after their studies to contribute to national development.
Mr Ablakwa disclosed this after holding consultations over the past few weeks with Ghanaian student leaders based in Europe, Asia, and the Americas on how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could better serve students through embassies and high commissions.
“We received positive feedback on the Student Desks I established in 11 embassies last year. Based on the impact and successful pilot, we are scaling up this year by creating Student Desks in all 72 Ghanaian diplomatic missions abroad,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
He said the Ministry would also pursue reforms with international partners over what it considers unfair English proficiency requirements imposed on Ghanaian students.
“The student leaders were updated on the reforms we are seeking with our international partners regarding what we consider to be unfair English proficiency requirements,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa said he had committed to negotiating more bilateral scholarships beyond the 1,500 secured last year, stressing that measures would be put in place to ensure fairness in their allocation.
“I have also committed to negotiating more bilateral scholarships beyond the 1,500 secured last year. We shall work with our partners in government to guarantee transparency and equity in the distribution of these scholarships,” he said.
He said discussions with the student leaders also focused on strategies to ensure graduates return home immediately after completing their studies to support the government’s Reset Agenda.
“We discussed effective mechanisms, startup strategies, entrepreneurial mentorship, business incubation, and recruitment systems to ensure students return home immediately after completing their studies to contribute to the Reset Agenda,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa added that the Ministry was strengthening consular assistance and had made progress in pursuing cases involving alleged rights violations, with particular attention to the Nana Agyei tragedy.
