The Graduate Student Association of Ghana have announced their decision to protest government over the delayed research grants after repeated assurances.
The various chapters of the association held a press conference at the University of Ghana SRC Union building on 10th April, 2024 to address the government, expressing their frustration over delayed in receiving support for their research works.
Addressing the press, the president of the GRASAG-UG chapter, Mr. Claudius Angsongna lamented over failure to pay their research grants for approximately three years despite repeated assurances.
“We wish to express our profound dissatisfaction with the persistent delays in the disbursement of research grants by the scholarship secretariat.”
“Despite the repeated assurances, the crucial financial assistance required for our research endeavors remains elusive. For approximately three years now, graduate students of Ghana have been deprived of any governmental support to conduct research.”
In highlighting the government’s failure to pay graduate students for research, he called on the director of the scholarship secretariat to take action on the situation, with emphasis on how aspiring researchers have been left uncertain, with their ability to contribute to knowledge advancement and national development hindered.
“This situation is troubling us, it hinders the progress of graduate students research. We employ the director of the scholarship secretariat to promptly address this issue and fulfill his obligation to serve the graduate Students of Ghana. “
“[The] failure to do so has left a multitude of aspiring researchers in a state of uncertainty, impeding their ability to contribute significantly to the advancement of knowledge and national development.”
The President demanded response from the government within a week, or all graduate students will stage nationwide demonstrations.
“We are calling for our bursaries; pay our bursaries now, if not we are not going to stop on any day. We call upon the government to increase the funding graduate research support to ensure that aspiring researchers have the necessary resources to conduct their studies effectively.”
“We demand response from the government within a week… In the absence of any response, we will be left with no option, no choice, but to state or to organize a nationwide demonstration and hold further press conferences to highlight our grievances regarding graduate research endeavors.”
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Story by: Grace Afetsrom | univers.ug.edu.gh
