Nearly 200 Ghanaian students will be able to stay on campus for the time being, avoiding threats of eviction and potential deportation, thanks to a $1 million payment from the Ghanaian government, the University of Memphis revealed.
The organization cautions that the payment only partially settles the $3.6 million debt owing under the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat (GSS) scheme, leaving $2.2 million unpaid.
GSS Registrar Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei promised that Ghanaian students “will not be deported,” despite the fact that $400,000 had already been paid, during a news conference held in Accra on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
He stated, “We are now processing a $1 million payment,” and attributed the delays to an ongoing audit. The Bank of Ghana and Ghana’s Controller and Accountant General’s Department are handling the money’s final journey to Washington.
Prior to August 9, 2025, the University of Memphis had threatened to withhold scholarships, on-campus housing, and legal residency from students who failed to pay unpaid fees. “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,” said Dr. Bill Hardgrave, president of the university, in reference to the recent political upheaval that followed the December 2024 elections.
The majority of the impacted students are enrolled in business, engineering, and scientific programs.
The university has asked for donations through its Gary Shorb International Student Support Fund to give emergency aid while it awaits complete payment.
Source: newsthemegh.com