About 110 Ghanaian PhD students studying in the United Kingdom under the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat (GSS) sponsorship are facing imminent deportation and expulsion from their respective universities due to prolonged non-payment of tuition fees and stipends, some outstanding for up to four years.
In a statement dated November 9, 2025, and addressed to Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Sabah Zita Benson, the group said the situation had reached “a perilous stage,” with several of their members already evicted from accommodation, barred from classes, or facing Home Office deportation notices.
According to the cohort, stipends ranging between £1,023 and £1,200 a month have not been paid for several months, leaving some students unable to afford rent, food, or transportation.
“Some of our members are owed as much as 48 months in stipends, meaning they have not received any payment since the start of their PhD programme,” the statement noted.
The group also revealed that an estimated 10 students have been formally withdrawn from their universities due to unpaid tuition fees, while others are unable to register for the 2025/2026 academic year because their renewal letters and progression reviews have not been issued by the Scholarships Secretariat.
“For nearly 10 months, we have had neither the progression review nor the renewal letters from the GSS. This has resulted in our inability to register for this academic year, of which we are already two months into the study year,” the statement said.
The affected scholars indicated that about £400,000 is needed to sustain their studies for the ongoing academic year, but so far, government efforts to clear arrears have been “woefully inadequate.”
The students further lamented that some of their colleagues who travelled to Ghana for data collection had been refused re-entry into the UK because their universities had reported unpaid tuition fees to immigration authorities.
They have therefore appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and Ghana’s new High Commissioner to the UK to intervene urgently to avert what they described as an impending humanitarian and diplomatic embarrassment.
“We are of the firm belief that students should not face the consequences for administrative errors and indiscretions made by public officials,” the statement read.
The group also acknowledged efforts by the government to reform the scholarship system to ensure transparency and fairness, but stressed that the current crisis demands immediate redress.
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The founder of Sanitopia, Richard Kojo Acheampong, told Joy Business that the Deputy Minister personally financed half of the project cost, underscoring the government’s growing collaboration with social businesses to tackle local challenges.
He pledged his commitment to build safe and clean spaces for communities across Ghana and Africa.
“By focusing on these key areas—accountability, community engagement, and sustainability—we can work towards reversing the legacy of failed development efforts in Africa and fostering real improvements in the lives of local populations”, he added.
