The Ghana Scholarships Authority (GSA) has responded to concerns raised by executives of the UK PhD Cohort regarding the ongoing Oath of Affirmation and Scholarship Validation Exercise, insisting that the process is lawful and does not impose any new obligations on beneficiaries.
In a detailed statement addressing the concerns, the Authority said it welcomes constructive engagement from scholarship beneficiaries and takes their concerns seriously, but noted that some of the assertions made about the exercise do not accurately reflect its legal and administrative basis, prompting the need for further clarification.
The Authority explained that the Oath of Affirmation and Scholarship Validation Exercise is being conducted pursuant to the Ghana Scholarships Authority Act, 2025 (Act 1149) and the Oaths Act, 1972 (NRCD 6), and is being undertaken in collaboration with the Ghana High Commission in the United Kingdom, which holds responsibility for consular matters within that jurisdiction.
“Its purpose is to verify the status of scholarship awards, validate and update beneficiary records, and reaffirm the commitments associated with Government sponsorship.”
Ghana Scholarships Authority
The Authority stressed that the exercise introduces no new condition or requirement to the scholarship programme, describing it instead as an administrative process aimed at ensuring records remain accurate and current.
No New Obligation Created, Authority Maintains
Addressing concerns that beneficiaries are being compelled to accept fresh conditions, the GSA explained that every beneficiary accepted their scholarship subject to a scholarship bond, which includes an undertaking to return to Ghana within two months of completing their approved programme of study.
The Authority described the Oath of Affirmation as simply a formal reaffirmation of a commitment beneficiaries had already made under those existing bonds, rejecting suggestions that a new obligation was being imposed.
“The suggestion that beneficiaries are being compelled to accept a new obligation is therefore incorrect.”
Ghana Scholarships Authority
The Authority further clarified that it has not altered, varied, or imposed any new terms on existing scholarship bonds, noting that the obligations contained in the bonds remain exactly as agreed to by beneficiaries at the time their scholarships were originally accepted. It said the current exercise is solely intended to confirm those existing obligations, and therefore does not amount to the retrospective application of new rules.
Graduate Route Letters Did Not Waive Bond Obligations
On the matter of Letters of “No Objection” issued in respect of the United Kingdom’s Graduate Route, the GSA explained that these letters were granted at the request of individual beneficiaries seeking to undertake post-study professional experience under the applicable two-year Graduate Route visa arrangement.
The Authority was emphatic that these letters did not constitute a waiver, cancellation, or variation of the scholarship bond, describing the Graduate Route instead as an opportunity for beneficiaries to acquire additional professional skills and experience that could ultimately contribute to Ghana’s human capital development.
It maintained that the obligation to return to Ghana and fulfil bond commitments remains in force unless expressly and lawfully varied or set aside by a competent authority.
Acknowledging Outstanding Payments, But Separating the Issues
The Authority acknowledged concerns raised over outstanding tuition fees and stipend payments, recognising the difficulties such delays may cause beneficiaries studying abroad.
It said the GSA is actively engaging the Ministry of Finance and other relevant institutions to facilitate the settlement of outstanding obligations and remains committed to ensuring that legitimate payments due to beneficiaries are addressed.
However, the Authority was clear that these payment issues are separate from the ongoing validation exercise, stressing that a delay in the payment of tuition or stipends does not suspend the obligations contained in a scholarship bond, nor will any beneficiary lose a legitimate entitlement merely by participating in the validation exercise.
The GSA said it does not regard the exercise as adversarial and encouraged beneficiaries to approach it in the same spirit, describing government scholarships as a significant investment in Ghana’s human capital that carries responsibilities for both parties involved.
According to the Authority, the State is required to honour its commitments to scholarship beneficiaries, while beneficiaries are equally expected to honour the commitments they made in accepting government sponsorship. It said the validation exercise is intended to strengthen accountability, protect the integrity of the scholarship programme, ensure accurate beneficiary records, and promote fairness and transparency across the entire system.
Authority Urges Beneficiaries to Participate
In its concluding remarks, the Ghana Scholarships Authority urged all affected beneficiaries to honour the invitation and participate in the Oath of Affirmation and Scholarship Validation Exercise without delay, reaffirming its commitment to engaging beneficiaries respectfully, transparently, and in good faith.
The statement reflects an effort by the Authority to address mounting concerns from Ghanaian scholarship holders in the UK while reasserting the legal and administrative grounds underpinning the exercise.
With the Authority maintaining that no new obligations have been introduced, attention now turns to how the UK PhD Cohort and other affected beneficiaries respond to the clarification, and whether broader engagement between the two sides can resolve outstanding tensions around the validation process, as well as long-standing concerns over delayed tuition and stipend payments.
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