GSA Clarifies: Oath for UK Scholars Creates No New Obligation

The Ghana Scholarships Authority (GSA) has defended its ongoing Oath of Affirmation and Scholarship Validation Exercise, saying the process is lawful and does not introduce any new obligation for Ghanaian government-sponsored scholars in the United Kingdom. The clarification follows concerns raised by executives of the UK PhD Cohort over the exercise, with the Authority stressing that the validation process is intended to verify scholarship awards, update beneficiary records and reaffirm commitments already contained in existing scholarship bonds. In a press release dated August 10, 2026, the GSA said the exercise is being conducted under the Ghana Scholarships Authority Act, 2025 (Act 1149) and the Oaths Act, 1972 (NRCD 6), in collaboration with the Ghana High Commission in the United Kingdom. According to the Authority, the process is administrative rather than a revision of the terms under which beneficiaries received their scholarships. The GSA rejected suggestions that beneficiaries are being compelled to accept a fresh condition through the Oath of Affirmation.

It explained that every beneficiary accepted a scholarship subject to the execution of a scholarship bond, which already requires the scholar to return to Ghana within two months of completing the approved programme of study. The Authority said the oath merely reaffirms that existing commitment. “The Oath of Affirmation does not introduce any additional obligation.” It added that the suggestion that beneficiaries were being made to accept a new obligation through the exercise was therefore incorrect. The Authority further assured beneficiaries that it has not altered, varied or imposed new terms on existing scholarship agreements. It said the obligations contained in the bonds remain exactly as they were when the scholarships were accepted. “The current exercise is solely intended to confirm those existing obligations and ensure that the Authority’s records are accurate and up to date,” the GSA stated. It consequently dismissed concerns that the exercise amounted to the retrospective application of a new rule, insisting that no new condition had been imposed on existing scholarship beneficiaries.

The Authority also addressed concerns surrounding beneficiaries who received Letters of “No Objection” to pursue post-study professional experience under the United Kingdom’s two-year Graduate Route visa arrangement. According to the GSA, the letters were issued at the request of individual beneficiaries and were intended to facilitate their acquisition of additional professional skills and experience. However, the Authority stressed that the letters did not constitute a waiver, cancellation or variation of the scholarship bond. It maintained that the obligation to return to Ghana and fulfil the commitments contained in the scholarship bond remains in force, unless it is expressly and lawfully varied or set aside by the competent authority.

The position means that permission for a beneficiary to take advantage of the Graduate Route does not, by itself, remove the underlying obligations attached to the government scholarship. The Authority also acknowledged concerns over outstanding tuition fees and stipend payments, admitting that delays could create difficulties for beneficiaries. It said it was engaging the Ministry of Finance and other relevant institutions to facilitate settlement of outstanding obligations and assured beneficiaries that legitimate payments due to them remain a priority.

The GSA, however, drew a distinction between the payment difficulties and the validation exercise. It said outstanding tuition or stipend payments are separate from the scholarship validation process and maintained that delays in such payments do not suspend the obligations contained in scholarship bonds. Similarly, the Authority said participation in the validation exercise would not cause a beneficiary to lose a legitimate financial entitlement.

The GSA said the broader objective of the validation exercise is to strengthen accountability and protect the integrity of Ghana’s government scholarship programme. It argued that government scholarships represent a significant investment in the country’s human capital and therefore create responsibilities for both the State and beneficiaries. While the government is expected to honour its commitments to sponsored scholars, beneficiaries are equally expected to honour the commitments they made when accepting government sponsorship. The Authority said the exercise is therefore designed to ensure that beneficiary records are accurate, strengthen transparency and fairness, and safeguard the scholarship programme against administrative gaps.

The GSA has consequently urged all affected beneficiaries to honour the invitation and participate in the Oath of Affirmation and Scholarship Validation Exercise without delay. It said it does not regard the exercise as adversarial and encouraged beneficiaries to approach the process in the same spirit. The Authority also reiterated its commitment to engaging beneficiaries “respectfully, transparently and in good faith”, while ensuring that the government scholarship programme is administered according to the highest standards of accountability and integrity. The clarification effectively places the Authority’s position on the controversy on record: the validation exercise is a confirmation of existing scholarship commitments, not the creation of new ones.

By: Joyce Owusu