The Ghana Scholarships Authority (GSA) has rejected reports that the University of Memphis has terminated its scholarship agreement with Ghana over outstanding tuition payments.
The Authority says the partnership remains in force and that government is taking steps to address the financial obligations owed to the US university.
Acting Executive Director of the GSA, Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, said the agreement signed between Ghana and the University of Memphis in April 2023 remains valid until 2028, unless either party formally invokes the termination clause.
He explained that the agreement requires 90 days’ prior written notice from either side before the partnership can be terminated.
“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.
The clarification comes amid reports that the university had ended the arrangement over unpaid tuition obligations reportedly nearing US$4 million.
Despite the outstanding debt, Asafo-Agyei said government had already begun making payments towards the arrears.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Finance released US$500,000 to the University of Memphis on Wednesday, August 26, as part-payment of the amount owed.
The payment followed advice from the GSA, with further discussions ongoing with the Ministry of Finance over the budgetary allocation needed to clear the remaining debt.
The GSA is also engaging the University of Memphis on a sustainable payment arrangement to resolve the outstanding obligations and protect the scholarship programme from disruption.
Asafo-Agyei is currently in the United States for a scheduled engagement with officials of the University of Memphis, where discussions are expected to focus on a clear roadmap for addressing the financial challenges.
He maintained that there has been no termination of the scholarship agreement and reaffirmed government’s commitment to resolving the outstanding payments.
The controversy has raised concerns about the future of Ghanaian students benefiting from the partnership, particularly as the reported arrears have placed pressure on the continuation of the programme.
The GSA says its priority is to resolve the financial obligations while preserving the agreement and ensuring that the scholarship arrangement continues.
