Sad news hits Ghanaian students in UK

President of the Ghana PhD Cohort, Prince Bansah, has spoken out strongly about the worsening crisis facing Ghanaian government-sponsored students in the United Kingdom, describing the situation as heartbreaking, dangerous, and now threatening Ghana’s diplomatic image on the global stage.

During an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr. Bansah said the situation many students are living through is far worse than what is being reported.

“The reality on the ground is far more egregious than those snippets suggest — our colleagues have suffered beyond what words can capture,” he said.

According to him, some students are owed stipends for periods ranging from 8 to 36 months. “Currently, stipends owed range from 8 to 36 months. Some students have not received a single payment in 36 months. For PhD candidates who have been here the full duration of three years, this means they have received nothing.”

He also pointed out that many of the universities have yet to receive payments for tuition from the Ghanaian government. He recalled that in April this year, the new registrar, in response to growing student protests, travelled to the UK in early May and engaged with key stakeholders. At the University of Birmingham, they reportedly agreed to start repaying some of the debts, promising to settle about 10% of what was owed. The registrar also met with student groups and gave assurances that stipends would begin flowing by the end of May.

But the optimism was short-lived. Mr. Bansah expressed disappointment over how the registrar’s return to Ghana was handled.

“That is the current standstill. We have tried repeatedly to contact officials here, but many students say their emails go unanswered,” he noted.

He painted a grim picture of what students are currently going through, revealing that many have been evicted from their accommodation and now rely on food banks to survive.

“Anyone who has studied abroad understands that in the UK, hunger is a solitary battle — you can’t simply knock on a neighbour’s door like you might in Ghana. When you’re sick here, it’s only you and your God.”

He also spoke about the toll this situation is having on students’ mental health.

“As I speak, some colleagues are battling depression, drowning in debt, and trapped by these conditions. I can attest personally, recently, while writing my final thesis, after delivering a speech, it seemed I had ‘gone off the board.’”

According to him, a wellbeing investigation found his condition was linked to nearly 20 months of unpaid stipends. He said a wellbeing officer even planned to escalate the issue to the British House of Commons by contacting his local MP.

“This is because Ghanaian authorities have refused to address the issue. It needs diplomatic escalation as a human rights concern,” he stressed.

Mr. Bansah said he recently received an email from his MP asking for more information to formally raise the matter in Parliament.

“This is how serious and public this has become — and it threatens Ghana’s diplomatic reputation.”

He also mentioned that some students were withdrawn from their studies last year due to lack of support. He and a few others were able to temporarily shelter some of those affected, but they are now overwhelmed.

“But we cannot sustain support for most colleagues. The crisis is dire.”

He described how some male students have had to turn to casual labour to survive.

“These are harsh realities. At first, I thought the issue might be exaggerated, but flyers advertising such work circulated among Masters and Undergraduates confirm it. If male students are pushed to this, imagine what female students, especially PhDs, endure.”

He pointed out that the demands of PhD research make it difficult for affected students to speak out. “The PhD journey demands humility and dedication. We avoid publicising this burden to protect our mental health, but we have no choice.”

While other students on master’s or undergraduate programmes can work during their summer breaks, PhD students do not get such breaks and are expected to work on their research continuously.

“This morning, I’m in my office writing pages of my thesis — far beyond the 20 hours per week UK visa rules allow.”

He added that even when they try to find part-time work, it is difficult because most employers prefer people who can commit full time.

“You can’t freely seek work either, as employers prefer permanent staff or full commitments. No one wants to hire someone for only 20 hours weekly.”

Describing the situation as “huge and heartbreaking,” Mr. Bansah urged people to stop politicising the matter.

“It pains me when people politicise or trivialise this issue. The calibre of students sponsored is well-known, transcending all political divides. Our PhD group numbers just over 80.”

“This is neither a political nor a partisan matter. It’s a grave crisis impacting students’ mental health and Ghana’s international relations.”

He ended with a passionate appeal to government authorities, acknowledging that while the problem did not start under the current administration, urgent steps must be taken to fix it.

“We understand this is a new government and it’s unfair to fault them for a legacy problem. But we plead for immediate and decisive action.”