The Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has revealed that the current administration inherited a staggering GH¢700 million debt at the Scholarship Secretariat from the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
According to him, this debt threatens the education of numerous Ghanaian students, with some institutions considering evicting them over unpaid fees.
Mr Opare Addo explained that his ministry, led by the acting Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat, Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, is actively engaging with the management of affected institutions to negotiate the outstanding payments.
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Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Joy News, the Minister described the situation as a “bad mess”.
My registrar now has to go around the world and negotiate with schools, and that’s what we’ve been doing for the past four or five months. I keep sending him — go here, go there — because we keep receiving threats from schools across the globe saying: ‘We are going to sack your students.’
Despite the challenges, Mr Opare Addo gave assurances that government is working tirelessly to resolve the issue. He acknowledged the negative impact the situation could have on Ghana’s international image but maintained that the current administration should not be blamed for a problem it inherited.
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This involves Ghanaian students, and so we must find the money to pay. The Minister of Finance, the Chief of Staff. We are all working closely to offset the debt because it affects Ghana’s international reputation. We will pay, but we must negotiate. We do not have GH¢700 million in cash, so we are in talks with various schools and institutions across the world.
He further disclosed that a full audit of the debt is currently underway, after which government will determine its next steps.
The Minister’s comments come amid mounting public concern following reports that approximately 185 Ghanaian students enrolled at the University of Memphis in the United States face possible eviction over an unpaid scholarship debt amounting to $3.6 million.
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Reports indicate that the university has issued a deadline of 9 August 2025 for the payment to be settled. University officials are said to have already notified the students of the impending action.
In response to the situation, Mr Opare Addo reaffirmed government’s commitment to resolving the matter and ensuring that affected students receive the support they need.