UK High Commissioner appeals for patience as scholarship arrears delay PhD students’ payments

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sabah Zita Benson, has called on Ghanaian PhD students in the UK to remain patient as steps are being taken to settle outstanding scholarship obligations, including tuition fees and stipends.

In an interview with JoyNews, Ms Benson said she is in constant engagement with the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat to ensure the release of funds, assuring affected students that payments will be effected once resources become available. She expressed confidence that some of the issues would be resolved by the end of the current quarter.

According to her, delays in payments stem from budgetary releases by the Ministry of Finance. She explained that once funds are released in the first quarter, the Scholarship Secretariat would disburse money to help clear some of the outstanding arrears.

Her remarks follow increasing concerns among Ghanaian PhD students in the UK, several of whom have reportedly been without financial support for over a year. As a result, some students are facing eviction from their accommodation and are depending on food banks for basic sustenance.

Ms Benson appealed for calm, reassuring the students that the government is actively working to meet its financial commitments.