Ghana’s government is under mounting pressure to urgently settle a $3.6 million debt owed to the University of Memphis, which threatens to displace nearly 200 Ghanaian students currently enrolled at the US institution.
The affected students, 185 in total, are beneficiaries of a Ghana government scholarship scheme. However, due to the state’s failure to pay outstanding tuition fees, the University has issued a n August 9 deadline for students to find alternative sources of funding or vacate university housing.
According to Dr Bill Hardgrave, President of the University of Memphis, the situation has become dire. “The students are sponsored by the government from Ghana, which has not paid the students’ tuition in some time,” he said in an interview with Action News 5’s Better Memphis show.
He confirmed that the total amount owed by the Ghanaian government stands at $3.6 million. The delay in payment, according to Dr Hardgrave, may be linked to political changes in Ghana following the December 2024 general election.
“I think there was a regime change in Ghana and that affected the budget, but we’re hopeful that gets corrected because we’d love to keep those students on campus,” he stated.
The students, most of whom are studying science, engineering, and business-related courses, now face the grim prospect of being forced to abandon their academic pursuits if no intervention occurs before the August deadline.
Reports from the Daily Memphian indicate that the university has already informed the students that they must vacate their residence halls by August 9, unless they or the Ghanaian government can clear the debt or make arrangements for payment.
To mitigate the impact, the University of Memphis has urged the public and philanthropic bodies to contribute to the Gary Shorb International Student Support Fund to help the stranded Ghanaian students.
With just weeks to the deadline, the fate of 185 young Ghanaians now hangs in the balance—awaiting either urgent financial intervention or the heartbreak of returning home with their academic futures in limbo.
Source : Graphiconline.com
