GSA rejects reports University of Memphis ended scholarship agreement over $4m debt

• GSA says University of Memphis scholarship deal remains in force until 2028.

• Government paid $500,000 on August 26 towards outstanding scholarship arrears.

• GSA Director-General Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei calls for correction of report claiming the deal was terminated.

GSA Director-General, Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, said no termination notice has been issued by the university and that the agreement remains in force.

“As we speak, no official or unofficial notice of termination has been served on the GSA, neither have there been any discussions with the Authority that remotely suggest that the agreement has been terminated or is being terminated,” he said.

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His comments follow a report that nearly 100 Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis were facing uncertainty over their education after the university allegedly ended its scholarship partnership with Ghana over outstanding tuition payments approaching $4 million.

The report said affected students had been barred from enrolling for the new academic term unless they secured alternative funding to settle their tuition obligations.

It also reported that the university had confirmed Ghana owed nearly $4 million in tuition fees under the scholarship arrangement, with the debt previously standing at $3.6 million in July 2025.

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However, Asafo-Agyei said the April 2023 agreement provides for a five-year term and can only be terminated by either party through 90 days’ prior written notice.

“More importantly, the agreement provides for a five-year term. Having been signed in April 2023, it remains in force until 2028, unless terminated in accordance with the agreed terms,” he said.

He further disclosed that the government has recently made a payment towards the outstanding debt.

“As recently as Wednesday, August 26, 2026, the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Finance and following advice from the GSA, released $500,000 to the University of Memphis as part-payment towards the outstanding financial arrears,” he said.

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The GSA has also engaged the Ministry of Finance over the outstanding budgetary allocation needed to service the debt, while discussions continue on a sustainable solution.

Asafo-Agyei said he is currently in the United States for a scheduled engagement with the University of Memphis to discuss a roadmap for addressing the outstanding financial obligations.

He questioned the basis of the report and called for its retraction.

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He added that responsible journalism requires verification, particularly on matters involving students and public funds.