Parliament is poised to pass the National Scholarship Authority Bill by the end of this week, as lawmakers move swiftly to address growing concerns over mismanagement and lack of oversight in Ghana’s scholarship system.
The urgency follows a controversy involving nearly 200 Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis, who are facing academic expulsion, visa issues, and eviction due to unpaid tuition and housing fees. The costs were to be covered under a 2023 MoU between the university and the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, with a $3.6 million allocation that reportedly remains unpaid.
Chairman of Parliament’s Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, July 15, described the situation as dire.
“Some students have been evicted from hostels and are being asked to leave the country. We must investigate how these scholarships were awarded, because the process appears plagued by corruption and nepotism.”
In response, President John Mahama has directed that the Scholarship Secretariat be placed under the Ministry of Education for better supervision and accountability.
“That is why the President has directed that the scholarship sector should now go under the Ministry of Education for effective supervision,” Nortsu-Kotoe confirmed.
He further disclosed that the Minister for Education has presented the National Scholarship Authority Bill to Parliament. The legislation proposes the establishment of a board to oversee scholarship disbursement, ensure transparency, and streamline operations.
“We sat on the bill yesterday, and I can assure you that by the end of the week, we should be able to pass it,” Nortsu-Kotoe stated.
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