More than 180 students in Memphis and Tennessee in the United States of America are on the verge of being ejected from their university housing, while others in the United Kingdom and Eastern Europe are struggling to make ends meet.
The Committee stated that the government’s inaction could lead to de-registration, potential eviction and deportation, as well as loss of academic years and erosion of global goodwill.
Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, the NPP Member of Parliament for Offinso North and a Member of the Committee, at a presser at the Parliament House, in Accra, said: “We urge the government of Ghana through the Office of the President, the Ministry of Education, and the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat to treat this matter with the utmost urgency and not allow bureaucratic silence to derail the future of hundreds of our nation’s brightest.”
The legislator observed that the students, who were selected and sponsored by the government, were now facing immense challenges, including allegedly skipping meals and struggling to afford basic necessities.
The situation, he said, had sparked concern about Ghana’s international reputation and its commitment to honouring its obligations.
Dr Asamoah said: “As the July deadlines for housing and academic registration draw closer, the Minority Committee on Education is demanding strict action and accountability from the government.”
He urged the public, civil society organisations and the media to support the call and demand that the government take concrete steps to address the issue.
He said: “No nation committed to development can in good conscience watch while its scholars abroad are subjected to ridicule, hardship, and potential deportation.
“These students did not smuggle themselves into foreign countries. The government of Ghana selected them, issued formal letters of sponsorship, and assured them of the state’s support.
To now renege on this promise is not just a breach of contract but also a betrayal of trust,” the legislator said.
GNA
