Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sabah Zita Benson, has criticised what she describes as the reckless award of government-funded scholarships under the previous Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration, citing what she says are overly generous benefits granted to some beneficiaries.
In a post on social media, Benson shared a redacted scholarship document issued by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, revealing that one beneficiary received financial support not only for her studies but also for her husband and three children while pursuing a doctoral programme in the United Kingdom.
According to the document, the beneficiary was awarded a government scholarship to study for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at Cranfield University between June 2021 and June 2024.
The scholarship covered tuition fees of nearly £19,000 and also provided living allowances of more than £8,000 each for her spouse and all three children.
In addition, the government reportedly paid more than GH¢90,000 to cover travel expenses for the beneficiary and her family.
Benson said the case was not isolated, claiming that it was one of hundreds of similar scholarship awards made during the period.
“The document below is just one example. We have hundreds of such cases,” she wrote.
She argued that the funds used to support spouses and dependants could have been redirected to settle outstanding financial obligations owed to Ghanaian students studying in the UK.
According to her, unpaid tuition fees and stipends for Ghanaian scholarship beneficiaries in the United Kingdom accumulated to more than £37 million between 2020 and 2025.
“These monies that were spent on spouses and dependents of scholarship students could have been used to clear the annual tuition and stipends of students in the UK that accumulated to over £37 million from 2020 to 2025. Such RECKLESSNESS!” she stated.
The disclosure has reignited debate over the management of government scholarship funds and the criteria used in awarding benefits to students and their families under the previous administration.
See the document below:
