A deepening scandal at the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat has raised troubling questions about whether a scheme designed to support the vulnerable was systematically hijacked to benefit the politically connected. Leaked documents and testimonies from senior officials have exposed what many are calling a “huge mess”—one that has now triggered investigations by both the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
At the centre of the storm is Dr Kingsley Agyemang, the immediate past Registrar of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat and current Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South. Under his leadership, documents suggest, government scholarships meant for academically gifted but financially disadvantaged students were instead awarded with what Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sabah Zita Benson, described as “recklessness”.
£27,900 a Year for a 16-Year-Old at a Private UK High School
One leaked document, which has gone viral, shows that the Secretariat approved government sponsorship for a 16-year-old student to attend a private high school in London. The scholarship, granted in 2022 for a two-year period, saw the government pay £27,900 annually in tuition fees. The approval bore the signature of Dr Agyemang.
But critics argue the award fell entirely outside the Secretariat’s mandate. “This particular scholarship was given to a 16-year-old to attend a private school (high school level) that will prepare her for a good college, which is outside the mandate of the Scholarship Secretariat,” Ms Benson stated.
“Eventually, we shall clear the mess, but I do hope someone is accountable soon,” she added.
“He Smuggled 50 Students to Bangor University”
The allegations do not end there. Ms Benson has publicly accused Dr Agyemang of creating a “huge mess” at the Secretariat. In a particularly damning disclosure, she claimed that he “smuggled 50 students to Bangor University in 2025 when they were out of power”.
According to the High Commissioner, Dr Agyemang issued scholarship letters in December 2024—after the previous administration had already lost power but before the handover—sending students to various cities across the UK. “Those students are now stranded because we never officially sent students abroad in 2025,” she lamented.
Entourage of Dependents Funded by Taxpayers
Perhaps most egregious are reports that scholarship packages were inflated to cover the living expenses of entire families. Documents reportedly show that a student’s entire family received £8,000 a month simply to accompany the beneficiary—a staggering allowance that critics say turns public funds into a personal cash cow for the politically connected.
This pattern of abuse aligns with findings from an investigative series by The Fourth Estate, which uncovered that scholarships were being disproportionately awarded to well-connected and affluent individuals. The investigation revealed that at least 17 individuals received multiple scholarships, pursuing different programmes in consecutive years or even within the same year.
Investigations Underway
The BNI has formally invited Dr Agyemang for questioning over alleged scholarship-related fraud during his tenure. He was invited through the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on May 5, 2026, where he provided a statement and was subsequently released.
Dr Agyemang has refuted media reports that he was arrested, though he confirmed having honoured the BNI invitation. Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has disclosed that it is conducting its own ongoing investigation into the Secretariat’s operations, dating back to July 2023.
A Pattern of Impunity?
These revelations have reignited public debate about transparency and accountability in the management of public funds. The scholarship scheme was established to support the needy—students who, without state assistance, would be unable to access quality education. Instead, documents suggest it became a VIP lane for those with political connections.
Ghana’s High Commissioner has made clear that the consequences of this mismanagement are being felt by innocent students. Unpaid tuition fees and stipends owed to Ghanaian students in the UK have grown substantially, leaving many scholars stranded and their academic futures hanging in the balance.
The Price of Democracy
If these allegations are proven, they represent a profound betrayal of public trust. Taxpayer money is not a political ATM. The funds allocated for scholarships belong to the Ghanaian people—and every cedi and every pound must be accounted for.
Dr Kingsley Agyemang and everyone implicated in this scandal must answer to Ghanaian taxpayers. The ongoing investigations by the BNI and the OSP must be thorough, transparent, and free from political interference. If wrongdoing is proven, all those responsible must face the full force of the law.
Otherwise, we must ask ourselves: what exactly are we calling democracy?
