4 Ghanaian students deported, banned from UK over forged scholarship documents

The Registrar of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, Kingsley Agyeman, has cautioned persons who forge documents to show scholarships from the Scholarship Secretariat to desist from the act or risk facing the laws.

His statement comes in the wake of four Ghanaian students who were deported and banned for ten years by the United Kingdom over fake scholarship documents.

Following investigations, it was discovered that four Ghanaians, Andy Kwesi Enos (University of Reading), Esther Tieku (University of Kent), Priscilla Omari Konadu (University of East Anglia) and Gifty Appoh (University of Greenwich) had presented fake documents to their Universities leading to the school’s withdrawal of their tier 4 visas and deportation.

The four are currently in Ghana and assisting the security agencies with investigations.

He added that the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat is able to fish out persons who are engaged in the act through their tight system and alerting the Universities where they have been enrolled in. The tuition and cost of living of such students are not paid.

Mr. Agyeman, stated that the “illegal” practice goes a long way to affect the image of the country and its president.

He also added that unscrupulous persons who attempted to lure people in believing that they can help them acquire scholarships have been arrested and are with the BNI, CID and National Security.

“To mention, the UK alone for the 2019/2020 Academic Year, we had complaints of people issuing out fake scholarship award letters to suspecting applicants. They were able to get away through the visa and went to the UK. But, because of the system we’ve put in place, no outlay of cash was paid to them”, he stated.

In September 2019, the British government announced that international students at British universities will be allowed to stay in the country for two years after graduating. The visa allows eligible students to work, or look for work, in any career or position of their choice, for two years after completing their studies.

In an interview with “The Chronicle” Newspaper, Kingsley Agyeman mentioned that the application has been opened to Ghanaians who wish to study French in France. The co-funded bilateral agreement will offer an opportunity to over 30 people in short courses like diplomas, certificates, and full-time Ph.D. programmes.

“The government of Ghana will provide counterpart funding, and it is in four spheres. We are going to have full-time postgraduate studies in the various courses that are related to STEM and non-STEM. We are going to have the year abroad for students in our Universities who are studying French”.