The President of the Ghanaian PhD Cohort Group in the United Kingdom, Prince Komla Bansah, has cautioned prospective beneficiaries of the Ghana Scholarships Authority (GSA) against accepting PhD scholarships under the scheme, citing persistent delays in the payment of stipends and tuition fees.
His warning comes amid growing concerns among Ghanaian doctoral students in the UK, many of whom say prolonged funding delays have left them struggling to meet basic living expenses and continue their studies comfortably.
Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM, Bansah described the situation as increasingly difficult for affected students and called for urgent intervention from government.
According to him, the challenges facing scholarship recipients have been worsened by what he sees as inadequate communication from the leadership of the Ghana Scholarships Authority, particularly the Registrar.
Bansah said the Registrar has met with executives of the PhD cohort only once and engaged students directly only once since assuming office, despite repeated calls for regular updates on outstanding payments and the status of funding.
“Our plea is that the President directly engages the Registrar to get the issue resolved because it appears the Registrar himself does not know what he is doing. The condition of some of these colleagues in the UK is debilitating. Some of us can survive it, but there are those who cannot survive the situation,” he said.
When asked whether he would recommend that a prospective student accept a Ghana Scholarships Authority scholarship under the current circumstances, Bansah’s response was unequivocal.
“Don’t even try,” he said.
His remarks follow concerns raised by the executive body of Ghanaian PhD students sponsored by the Ghana Scholarships Authority in the United Kingdom over delays in the release and disbursement of scholarship funds.
In a statement issued on June 8, the students said government and the scholarship management body had failed to release funds to cover outstanding tuition fees and stipends despite earlier assurances that payments had been processed.
According to the group, beneficiaries were informed in April 2026 that funds had been released to settle outstanding obligations. However, as of June 8, no member of the PhD cohort, nor any undergraduate or master’s scholarship recipient known to them, had received payment.
The students warned that the continued delays are taking a toll on their academic work, welfare and overall well-being, and called for immediate action to address the situation before it worsens further.
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