Audio By Carbonatix
Ghana's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sabah Zita Benson, has alleged widespread mismanagement in the administration of government scholarship funds under the previous administration.
She is claiming that excessive spending on dependants of scholarship beneficiaries contributed to the accumulation of millions of pounds in unpaid tuition and stipends owed to Ghanaian students in the UK.
In a series of Facebook posts, Ms Benson cited what she described as several instances of "reckless" expenditure, including the payment of allowances, airfares and other benefits for spouses and children accompanying scholarship beneficiaries abroad.
According to her, in one case, the spouse and three children of a beneficiary each received £8,160 in addition to the scholarship awarded to the student, while the family's airfare alone reportedly cost GH¢90,000.
"The spouse and children were paid £8,160 each to accompany the wife and mother to go study. That is different from the scholarship amount to the beneficiary. Why?... We have hundreds of such cases," she wrote.
The High Commissioner further claimed that money spent on dependants could have been used to settle outstanding tuition fees and living allowances for scholarship beneficiaries.
She alleged that more than £37 million in tuition fees and stipends accumulated between 2020 and 2025, while also questioning the award of a government scholarship to a 16-year-old to attend a private secondary school in the UK at a reported cost exceeding £56,000.
She cited another case in which the government allegedly spent GH¢90,420 on visa fees, tuberculosis screening and airfare for two students and the spouse of one beneficiary.
Responding to a planned protest by some Ghanaian scholarship students in the UK over delayed payments, Ms Benson argued that the current administration inherited substantial financial obligations from the previous government.
"Those who want to come and protest tomorrow because Government hasn't paid your fees, you now know where your money went. You should have protested from 2020–2025 when they were not paying," she stated.
She added that the government paid £3 million towards the arrears last year, has settled first-quarter payments this year and is processing second-quarter payments, insisting that the current administration is committed to clearing the outstanding debts while ensuring accountability.
Latest Stories
-
Ballon d’Or Power Rankings: Lamine Yamal leads race for Golden Ball ahead of Rodri and Kane
1 hour -
‘Nothing worked for us’ – Gideon Mensah takes responsibility for Gambia defeat
2 hours -
2026 Women’s Super Cup: FC Savannah beat Epiphany Warriors to win trophy for first time
3 hours -
AFCON 2027Q: ‘The last time Ghana won was eight games ago’ – Carlos Queiroz
4 hours -
AFCON 2027Q: Gambia defeat doesn’t make me a loser – Carlos Queiroz
4 hours -
2027 AFCONQ: Late goals seal 2-0 for Côte d’Ivoire against Somalia
4 hours -
AFCON 2027Q: My resignation won’t solve Ghana football issues – Queiroz
4 hours -
Morocco call off Ghana friendly after Black Stars’ AFCON setback
4 hours -
‘We have to say sorry’ – Queiroz apologises after Ghana’s humiliating defeat to Gambia
4 hours -
New Yorker identified as Yaw Boahene, 57, killed after bag was caught in subway train doors
4 hours -
Former American Idol contestant and pastor found guilty of murdering wife
4 hours -
Trump rules out joint US-China venture to develop AI
5 hours -
‘Beating Ghana did not surprise me’ – Gambia boss
5 hours -
OpenAI agents get rebrand – as ‘dots’ – while safety worries delay new model
5 hours -
US ban on Canadian alcohol and dairy takes effect as trade war drags on
5 hours