The Director-General of the Ghana Scholarship Authority, Alex Kwaku Asafo Agyei, has dismissed claims that government scholarships awarded to two siblings studying in Canada were improperly granted, insisting that the process was transparent and fully compliant with regulations.
The controversy arose after social media commentary questioned the eligibility of Emmanuella Kyei-Frimpong Agyapong and Emmanuel Kyei-Frimpong Agyapong, suggesting the twins were born and raised in Canada and therefore ineligible for Ghanaian scholarships.
Critics also raised concerns about whether the awards aligned with government policy prioritising needy students and programmes not available locally.
Reaction
In a statement on his Facebook page, Asafo Agyei rejected the allegations, describing them as “misleading and unsupported by facts.”
He said both beneficiaries are Ghanaian by birth and parentage, meeting the fundamental eligibility requirements of the Authority.
“The fundamental eligibility requirement for scholarships administered by the Ghana Scholarship Authority is Ghanaian citizenship. That requirement has been satisfied in this case,” he wrote, adding that portraying the siblings as foreign beneficiaries is “deliberately misleading.”
Clarity
Asafo Agyei also clarified that Ghanaian scholarships are not exclusively reserved for “needy but brilliant” students. The Authority employs a three-tier system considering financial need, national priority programmes, and merit-based selection for qualified Ghanaian applicants.
For the 2026 cycle, he said, 5,000 scholarships have been allocated, including 2,000 specifically for the needy but brilliant category, administered by an independent committee to ensure fairness. The remaining awards are distributed according to merit and national priority guidelines.
He further rejected claims that the scholarships were awarded illegally due to similar programmes existing in Ghana, noting that references to the Ghana Scholarship Authority Bill were misplaced as the law was enacted after the awards in question.
No corruption
Asafo Agyei also dismissed suggestions of corruption, stating that the application and evaluation process is structured and documented, and that allegations must be backed by credible evidence and presented to the appropriate authorities.
“Let me state unequivocally that, so long as I remain the Director-General of the Ghana Scholarship Authority, neither my integrity nor the well-redeemed reputation of the Authority will be compromised,” he said.
The Authority also plans to publish the remaining lists of scholarship beneficiaries from 2016 to 2024 to improve public access and transparency.
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