Ghanaian female students in UK engaged in prostitution due to £17m debt — Apaak

He raised serious concerns over the government’s failure to settle a significant £17 million debt owed in unpaid fees to 927 Ghanaian students studying in the United Kingdom on government scholarships.

These students, many of whom are pursuing various graduate and postgraduate programs, are reportedly facing immense financial hardships due to the government’s delay in releasing funds for their tuition and living expenses.

According to him, the government’s debt to the UK-based students is mounting, reaching an alarming £17 million.

The Minority spokesperson on education, Dr Clement Apaak, has alleged that this situation is evidence of the government’s lack of commitment to the welfare of its citizens studying abroad.

He stressed that the delay in payments has left students vulnerable, with many of them reportedly struggling to meet basic living expenses such as food, rent, and transportation.

Speaking to Citi News, Dr Apaak, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government must act immediately to avoid further national embarrassment.

“According to the students, the government owes their fees in excess of £17 million. This has not been paid. Consequently, a number of them have been withdrawn by their schools.

“Some are not being allowed to take classes in person. Some are being processed for deportation and others are under threat of being arrested and prosecuted.

“So this is a very dire situation, which is leading to some students engaging in very despicable and humiliating activities just to survive. We have information to the effect that some of the male students have had to resort to selling their sperm. Some of the female students are engaged in prostitution,” he said.

Ghanaian students on government scholarships in the United Kingdom are facing an unprecedented crisis as the UK Home Office has begun issuing letters cancelling their resident status.

The situation has arisen due to the non-payment of their scholarship funds by the Ghanaian government, leaving these students in a state of distress and uncertainty.

These students, who were awarded scholarships by the Ghanaian government to pursue higher education in the UK, have dedicated themselves to their studies with the expectation that their financial needs would be met.

However, due to delays and non-payment of funds, they now find themselves at risk of deportation.

The UK Home Office, citing the lack of financial support as a breach of the terms under which the students were granted their resident status, has started issuing letters notifying them of the cancellation.

The letters from the Home Office have set a deadline of November 9, 2024, by which time the students must resolve their financial issues or face deportation.

With just weeks left, the affected students are in a race against time to find a solution.

Many are appealing to the Ghanaian government for urgent intervention to prevent their educational pursuits from being abruptly ended and their futures jeopardised.