Citizens’ Coalition urges Parliament to halt passage of Scholarships Bill for broader consultation

The Citizens’ Coalition, a network of civil society organisations and distinguished individuals, has called on Parliament to suspend the ongoing legislative process for the Ghana Scholarships Authority Bill, 2025.

The group argues that the bill, which is being fast-tracked under a certificate of urgency, lacks the broad-based stakeholder engagement necessary for a reform of this magnitude.

In a statement issued on Thursday, July 17, and signed by prominent figures including Kofi Asare (Africa Education Watch), Dr. Kojo Asante (CDD-Ghana), and investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, the coalition commended government’s effort to improve scholarship management in Ghana.

However, they warned that the current approach risks deepening existing problems rather than solving them.

The coalition maintained that although reform is needed, the current version of the bill fails to fix the structural deficiencies in the scholarships regime.

Instead of addressing the lack of transparency, political interference, and nepotism, the bill could inadvertently entrench these issues further.

“We are convinced that the proposed legislation falls short of establishing a transparent, accountable and merit-based system consistent with global best practice in public scholarships management. Consequently, genuine reform must begin with broad stakeholder engagement, including students and youth groups, tertiary institutions, civil society organizations and development partners,” the group stated.

The Citizens’ Coalition insisted that reforms of this nature must begin with open and inclusive consultations.

They recommended broad engagement involving students, youth groups, universities, civil society, and development partners, arguing that such dialogue is critical for designing a system that serves the public interest.

They also referenced the plight of nearly 200 Ghanaian students currently studying abroad who are at risk of deportation due to unpaid tuition fees.

While acknowledging the urgency of that matter, the coalition said it should not override the need for thorough stakeholder involvement in crafting the new legal framework.

The coalition is urging the Speaker of Parliament to intervene and facilitate a suspension of the legislative process until adequate consultations are held.

Below is the statement