Allowances for students abroad to be increased – Foreign Affairs Minister Assure Students
Ghanaian students studying overseas have been reassured by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, that the government intends to raise their monthly stipends.
The Minister stated that conversations would soon start to assess and improve the allowances given to students under government-supported programs, albeit exact numbers were not made public.
During an official visit, Mr. Ablakwa spoke to members of the Ghanaian community in Cotonou, Benin, and promised to make measures to guarantee the prompt distribution of stipends, which students claim are frequently delayed.
A monthly stipend of CFA 45,000 (GHS 1,147) is currently provided to Ghanaian students participating in a one-year exchange program in Benin. They also receive a one-time book allowance of CFA 60,000 (GHS 1,500) and an additional CFA 60,000 for medical expenditures.
Currently, over 40 students are learning French in Benin from the University of Ghana and the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UNIMAC). Thirty more students from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) are anticipated to join them the following week.
Students expressed dissatisfaction with recent program length modifications, claiming that “the 12-month duration has been reduced to six months,” which makes it challenging to fulfill academic requirements.
Records from Ghana’s mission in Benin show that there are currently more than 2,000 Ghanaians living there.
More than 100 people attended the Minister’s meeting with the Ghanaian community in Cotonou. He underlined that the tour is a component of a new policy to interact with Ghanaians overseas on a quarterly basis and address their issues in a proactive manner. His first destinations on his itinerary are Nigeria and Benin.
