Scholarship Authority Confirms Beneficiaries Are Ghanaian, Rejects Claims of Foreign Recipients

The Director-General of the Ghana Scholarship Authority, Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, has dismissed reports suggesting that foreign nationals are benefiting from Ghana’s scholarship scheme, describing such claims as misleading and politically motivated.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, March 12, 2026, Mr. Asafo-Agyei clarified that individuals allegedly identified as Canadian citizens are in fact Ghanaians by birth and parentage, fully meeting the eligibility criteria for the scholarships.

“The claim that the beneficiaries in question are Canadian citizens is false. The individuals referenced are Ghanaians by birth and parentage,” he said.

Scholarship Categories Clarified

The Director-General explained that the Ghana Scholarship Authority operates a structured three-tier framework, which includes financial need (the “needy but brilliant”), merit-based selection, and national priority programmes critical to Ghana’s development. He emphasised that scholarships are not exclusively reserved for financially disadvantaged students.

“It is therefore misleading to suggest that any beneficiary outside the ‘needy but brilliant’ category is undeserving,” Mr. Asafo-Agyei added.

2026 Scholarship Cycle

For the 2026 cycle, the Authority has allocated 5,000 scholarships, including 2,000 reserved specifically for the “needy but brilliant” category, administered by an independent selection committee. The remaining scholarships are awarded under merit and national priority categories in accordance with established guidelines.

No Discrimination or Corruption

Mr. Asafo-Agyei stressed that the Authority does not discriminate against applicants based on family background, social status, or political connections. He also rejected claims that scholarships are sold or traded, insisting that all applications are processed through a structured and documented system.

“The Ghana Scholarship Authority operates a documented and structured application and evaluation system. Allegations of corruption must be backed by credible evidence rather than speculation,” he said.

Legal Context and Transparency

Addressing concerns about compliance with the Ghana Scholarship Authority Bill, he noted that the legislation was not yet in force when the scholarships were awarded, making such criticisms legally untenable.

Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to fairness and transparency under the government of John Dramani Mahama, he stressed that scholarships are now awarded based on merit rather than political or familial influence.

Mr. Asafo-Agyei also announced that the Authority will soon publish the remaining lists of scholarship beneficiaries from 2016 to 2024 to enhance public access to information.