A Ghanaian government scholarship beneficiary at the University of Memphis in the United States (US), has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to urgently intervene in the payment of outstanding tuition and accommodation fees owed by Ghanaian students.

The beneficiary, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the students risk facing further sanctions from the university if the government fails to settle the outstanding obligations.

According to a report by adomonline.com on August 28, 2026, students had repeatedly engaged the Scholarship Secretariat and other relevant officials since May, when the university began warning them to pay their outstanding fees, but efforts to secure assistance had so far yielded no results.

“We urge the government, the Foreign Affairs Minister and all the rightful authorities to come to our aid because this is a very important issue between Ghana and the US,” he said.

According to him, a similar situation occurred in January but was resolved after government authorities intervened.

“At the start of the year, in January, it happened and the authorities did something about it, so the situation came down. But this time around, no one has come to help us,” he indicated.

The beneficiary said the prolonged delay was creating anxiety among the students, particularly those nearing the end of their programmes.

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“Some of us are left with our final semester. Some came in 2024 and 2025. Those doing their masters have the last group who will finish in December, while some undergraduate students have about two years to go,” he stated.

He expressed concern that failure to resolve the matter could result in some students being sent back to Ghana, with possible implications for the country's reputation.

“If they don’t do anything about it, they may bring us back home, and it will be a bad name for us,” he noted.

He also warned that the situation could affect Ghanaian students who intend to pursue their studies in the United States.

“It could even put a bad tag on Ghanaians, especially those who are planning to come here to study,” he said.

The beneficiary therefore renewed his appeal to President Mahama, Ablakwa and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene and ensure the outstanding tuition and accommodation fees are settled before the situation escalates.

MRA/VPO

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