Ghanaians woke up to distressing news a few days ago as videos emerged of Ghanaian students in Morocco on Government of Ghana (GOG) scholarships protesting outside the Ghana Embassy.
The students, visibly upset, claimed that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration has failed to remit their stipends, plunging them into severe hardship in a foreign land.
Member of Parliament for Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak expressed deep concern and outrage over the situation. In a passionate statement, Dr. Apaak highlighted the severe emotional and financial distress faced by these students. He noted that the delayed stipends have left them unable to pay for essential needs such as accommodation, utilities, and even food. This, he stressed, is not an isolated incident but part of a worrying trend affecting many Ghanaian students on GOG scholarships worldwide.
“It is heartbreaking for parents to watch their wards in such a helpless situation in a foreign land, especially when state resources are dissipated wantonly by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government,” Dr. Apaak stated.
He lamented that the government’s neglect is not only an embarrassment to Ghana on the international stage but also a gross misuse of the nation’s resources.
Dr. Apaak pointed out that despite the Scholarship Secretariat being housed at the Presidency and thus outside the direct purview of the Education Committee of Parliament, he has taken it upon himself to advocate for the affected students. Having studied abroad himself, he empathizes deeply with the challenges these students face. He affirmed that the government has been provided with the necessary resources to ensure timely remittance of stipends and thus has no excuse for the current situation.
In a bid to address these delays, Dr. Apaak has taken several steps, including filing questions in Parliament and urging the body to summon the then-leader of the House, who also served as the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, to address this critical issue. He revealed that despite these efforts, the head of the Scholarship Secretariat has refused invitations from the Education Committee, exacerbating the students’ plight.
Raising the issue on the floor of Parliament today, May 30, 2024, Dr. Apaak called on the Majority Leader to provide immediate answers and solutions, as his attempts to get responses from the Scholarship Secretariat have proven futile. He urged the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration to act swiftly to alleviate the suffering of the students in Morocco and ensure no further delays in stipend remittances for all Ghanaian students on GOG scholarships worldwide.
