Registrar
The newly appointed Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat, Mr. Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, has revealed a series of shocking irregularities and scandals that have rocked the institution. He has vowed to restore its credibility and ensure transparency in the award of scholarships.
Speaking in an interview with Saddick Adams on Angel FM, Mr. Asafo-Agyei disclosed that upon receiving his appointment in January 2025, he was advised not to repeat the practices of the previous administration, which he said had badly tarnished the Secretariat’s image.
According to him, investigations have uncovered fake award letters issued and signed by former Registrar Dr. Kingsley Agyeman as late as March 17, 2025,two months after he had vacated office. He further revealed glaring inconsistencies in award letters, some of which bore only signatures without seals, while others appeared on different letterheads.
“It has gotten so bad that staff cannot even detect the original letterhead of the Secretariat. This has forced us to change the letterhead entirely,” he lamented.
Fake Awards and Financial Losses
Mr. Asafo-Agyei alleged that many individuals had traveled abroad on the strength of fake scholarships, leaving the country saddled with millions of dollars in unpaid fees. Ghana, he noted, now owes over £40 million to UK institutions and $10 million to the United States, with St. George’s University threatening legal action over a $1 million debt.
He added that some award letters were signed by unauthorized persons, contrary to financial regulations that restrict such powers to designated spending officers.
Dubious Payments and Illegal Charges
The Registrar also revealed that applicants had been illegally charged application and processing fees by individuals posing as officials, despite the Secretariat not being legally permitted to collect such fees. He cautioned the public against engaging with fraudulent social media accounts and websites, stressing that the only legitimate platform of the Secretariat bears the .gov.gh domain.
Another disturbing trend, Mr. Asafo-Agyei noted, is that beneficiaries abroad often request “no objection” letters to remain and work in foreign countries rather than return to contribute to Ghana’s development.
He explained that while abroad, some of these individuals still claim stipend arrears, despite having decided not to return home. During a recent town hall meeting with Ghanaian students in London, he made it clear that any student who requests a “no objection” letter automatically forfeits all stipend arrears.
Currently, over €21 million in stipends have been blocked due to beneficiaries’ refusal to return home.
Oversubscription of Scholarships
When asked why many Ghanaian students abroad are being dismissed over unpaid fees, Mr. Asafo-Agyei distanced himself from the issue, pointing to his predecessor. He produced a letter dated June 10, 2024, signed by Dr. Agyeman, suspending all scholarship awards due to economic hardship.
“Why then did he issue scholarship awards from July to January?” Mr. Asafo-Agyei asked.
He announced that he has written to the Presidency seeking permission to establish scholarship review committees to conduct interviews and background checks, thereby insulating the Registrar from direct contact with applicants.
Mr. Asafo-Agyei also decried the misuse of public funds on short courses abroad, some lasting only three weeks and covering topics such as “team building” and “developing future leaders.” He described these as irrelevant expenditures that deprive Ghana of valuable resources.
Going forward, he pledged a stronger focus on local scholarships, arguing that if Ghanaian institutions received the same level of funding as their foreign counterparts, they too could attain world-class standards.
Commitment to Equity and Reform
In addition, Mr. Asafo-Agyei assured that President Mahama’s promise to the Muslim community will be honored, with 200 scholarship slots allocated and managed by Islamic leaders, who will screen and recommend deserving candidates. He clarified, however, that Muslims remain eligible to compete in the general pool of applications as well.
CID and Further Investigations
The Registrar confirmed that all scandals uncovered are already with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), while an ongoing audit of the Secretariat will soon be presented to the authorities for further action.
“It is time to restore the image of the Secretariat,” Mr. Asafo-Agyei concluded.
Source: Joanita Amegashie
