Ghana Scholarships Authority says the University of Memphis scholarship agreement remains valid until 2028 and no termination notice has been received. Here are the latest details.
Article Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Article Type | Scholarship News / International Education |
| Institution | University of Memphis |
| Ghanaian Partner | Ghana Scholarships Authority (GSA) |
| GSA Director-General | Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei |
| Agreement Signed | April 2023 |
| Agreement Term | Five years |
| Expected Expiry | 2028, unless terminated under the agreement |
| Reported Issue | Alleged termination of scholarship partnership |
| GSA Position | No termination notice has been received |
| Latest Financial Development | US$500,000 part-payment reportedly released |
| Article Status | Fact-checked report based on GSA statement and agreement details |
| Published By | EducateGhana.com |
Fact Check & Editorial Review
The Ghana Scholarships Authority has rejected a report attributed to Citi FM suggesting that the University of Memphis has terminated its scholarship agreement with the Authority over outstanding financial obligations.
According to a statement issued by GSA Director-General Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei on August 31, 2026, no official or unofficial termination notice has been served on the Ghana Scholarships Authority.
The Authority further points to the terms of the agreement signed in April 2023, which provides for a five-year term and a 90-day written notice requirement for termination.
On the information contained in the GSA’s statement, the claim that the University of Memphis has already terminated the agreement should therefore not be presented as an established fact.
The financial obligations under the partnership remain an issue, however. The GSA says Government of Ghana has released US$500,000 as a part-payment towards the outstanding obligations.
Editorial caution: The existence of an outstanding financial obligation does not, by itself, establish that the scholarship agreement has been terminated. The contractual termination provisions and the parties’ actual communications must be considered separately.
Key Takeaways
- The Ghana Scholarships Authority says the University of Memphis has not terminated its scholarship agreement with the Authority.
- The partnership agreement was signed in April 2023 and has a five-year term.
- The agreement therefore remains expected to run until 2028, unless terminated according to its provisions.
- The GSA says no termination notice has been served on the Authority.
- Government has reportedly released US$500,000 to the University of Memphis as a part-payment towards outstanding obligations.
- GSA Director-General Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei says he is currently in the United States for scheduled engagements involving the University of Memphis.
- The Authority has asked Citi FM to retract and correct the report.
Introduction
The Ghana Scholarships Authority has disputed reports that the University of Memphis has terminated its scholarship agreement with Ghana over an alleged outstanding debt.
GSA Director-General Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei says the agreement remains in force and that neither an official nor unofficial notice of termination has been received by the Authority.
The development follows concerns over the financial obligations associated with the scholarship partnership and a report suggesting that the University of Memphis had ended the arrangement.
The GSA has now provided details of the agreement, its termination provisions and recent efforts by the Ghanaian government to address the outstanding financial commitments.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Ghana Scholarships Authority: Scholarships, Funding and Opportunities]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Study Abroad Scholarships for Ghanaian Students]
What the University of Memphis-GSA Agreement Says
The scholarship partnership between the Ghana Scholarships Authority and the University of Memphis has its roots in a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 9, 2022.
The MOU established a framework for collaboration aimed at providing Ghanaian students with access to higher education opportunities at the University of Memphis.
The subsequent scholarship agreement was signed in April 2023.
According to the GSA, the agreement provides for a five-year term. It also contains specific provisions governing how either party may terminate the arrangement.
The agreement requires 90 days’ prior written notice from a party seeking to terminate the arrangement.
It further provides for cooperation between the parties to enable students already enrolled at the university to complete the courses in which they are currently enrolled if the agreement expires or is terminated.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [How Ghanaian Students Can Find Legitimate International Scholarships]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Important Scholarship Application Mistakes Students Should Avoid]
GSA Says No Termination Notice Has Been Received
The strongest point in the Authority’s response concerns the alleged termination itself.
According to Mr. Asafo-Agyei, no official or unofficial notice of termination has been received by the Ghana Scholarships Authority.
The GSA Director-General therefore questioned the basis for the report that the University of Memphis had already ended the scholarship arrangement.
This distinction is important because an outstanding financial obligation and termination of a contractual agreement are two separate matters.
Unless the parties invoke the termination provisions contained in their agreement, the existence of a financial dispute does not automatically mean that the agreement has ended.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Ghana Scholarships Authority Scholarship Updates]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [How Students Can Verify Scholarship Information Before Applying]
University of Memphis Scholarship Agreement Expected to Run Until 2028
The agreement’s five-year term is another important part of the dispute.
Since the agreement was signed in April 2023, its ordinary five-year term would extend into 2028, subject to the contractual provisions governing termination or expiration.
The GSA is therefore maintaining that the agreement remains valid.
This is particularly significant for Ghanaian students who may be beneficiaries of scholarship arrangements connected to the University of Memphis.
The agreement also contains provisions intended to protect students already enrolled if the partnership eventually expires or is terminated.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [International Scholarships for Ghanaian Students]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [University Scholarships and Financial Aid Guide]
Ghana Government Releases US$500,000 Part-Payment
The financial side of the matter remains significant.
The GSA says that the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Finance, released US$500,000 on August 26, 2026, as part-payment towards the outstanding financial obligations to the University of Memphis.
The Authority says it has also engaged the Ministry of Finance regarding the outstanding budgetary allocation required to address the remaining obligations.
According to the GSA, discussions are continuing on how the financial commitments associated with the partnership can be addressed in a sustainable manner.
The reported payment is therefore an important development even though the GSA maintains that the scholarship agreement itself has not been terminated.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Ghana Government Scholarships and Student Funding]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [How Scholarship Funding Works for Ghanaian Students]
Two Scholarship Programmes Under the Partnership
The collaboration between Ghana and the University of Memphis was designed to support different categories of Ghanaian students.
The GSA statement refers to two scholarship programmes.
King Scholarship
The King Scholarship was established for doctoral students in honour of His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The programme forms part of the broader effort to support advanced academic training and doctoral-level education.
Secretariat Scholarship
The Secretariat Scholarship was designed to support students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Together, the programmes were intended to create pathways for Ghanaian students to pursue higher education opportunities at the University of Memphis.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [PhD Scholarships and Fellowships for Ghanaian Students]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Fully Funded Scholarships for Ghanaian Students]
GSA Director-General Currently in the United States
Mr. Asafo-Agyei also disclosed that he is currently in the United States as part of a scheduled engagement with the University of Memphis.
According to the GSA, discussions are expected to include the development of a roadmap for addressing the outstanding financial obligations associated with the partnership.
The engagement could therefore have implications for the future administration of the scholarship arrangement and the management of outstanding commitments.
The GSA Director-General described the financial obligation as a legacy debt that was partly inherited from his predecessor.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Ghana Scholarships Authority: Latest Developments]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Scholarship Opportunities and International Study Guide]
GSA Calls for Retraction of Citi FM Report
The Ghana Scholarships Authority has called on Citi FM to retract the report and issue the necessary corrections.
Mr. Asafo-Agyei said the media organisation has previously been a valued partner of the Authority in public discussions concerning scholarships and education.
He expressed concern that the Authority was not contacted for verification before the report was published.
The GSA argues that verification is particularly important when reporting on matters involving scholarship beneficiaries, public funds and international education partnerships.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Responsible Reporting on Education and Public Policy]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [How to Verify Scholarship News and Avoid False Information]
What the Development Means for Ghanaian Scholarship Applicants
For students and prospective scholarship applicants, the most important issue is whether the University of Memphis-GSA arrangement remains operational.
Based on the position communicated by the Ghana Scholarships Authority, the agreement has not been terminated.
However, students should distinguish between the continued existence of the agreement and the availability of specific scholarship opportunities at any particular time.
Scholarship programmes can have their own eligibility requirements, application windows, funding limits and admission conditions.
Applicants should therefore rely on official announcements from the Ghana Scholarships Authority and the University of Memphis before making financial or academic decisions.
Students should also avoid paying individuals who claim to have access to University of Memphis scholarships or guaranteed GSA awards.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [How to Identify Genuine Scholarship Opportunities]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Scholarship Scams in Ghana: Warning Signs Students Should Know]
Why the University of Memphis Partnership Matters
International university partnerships can create opportunities for Ghanaian students to access undergraduate, graduate and doctoral education that may otherwise be difficult to finance.
The University of Memphis arrangement is particularly significant because it was designed to cover different levels of higher education.
Beyond individual scholarships, such partnerships can contribute to academic mobility, professional development, research collaboration and institutional relationships between Ghana and universities abroad.
For that reason, the financial sustainability of scholarship agreements is important to both beneficiaries and the institutions responsible for administering public scholarship resources.
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [International University Partnerships and Ghanaian Higher Education]
➡️ Related EducateGhana.com: [Research Scholarships and Graduate Study Opportunities]
EducateGhana.com Analysis
The current dispute highlights the importance of separating three different issues.
First is the legal status of the scholarship agreement.
Second is the financial obligation owed under the arrangement.
Third is the future availability and administration of scholarships for Ghanaian students.
The GSA’s latest statement addresses all three to some extent, but the immediate clarification is that the Authority says it has received no termination notice.
The reported US$500,000 payment also indicates that government is taking steps towards addressing the financial obligations.
The eventual sustainability of the partnership will depend on how the remaining financial commitments are resolved and how the two institutions manage the agreement going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the University of Memphis terminated its scholarship agreement with Ghana?
The Ghana Scholarships Authority says no. The Authority states that it has received neither an official nor unofficial termination notice.
When was the University of Memphis-GSA agreement signed?
The scholarship agreement was signed in April 2023.
When is the agreement expected to expire?
The agreement provides for a five-year term, meaning it is expected to run until 2028 unless terminated earlier in accordance with its provisions.
Has Ghana paid any money towards the outstanding obligation?
According to the GSA, the Government of Ghana released US$500,000 on August 26, 2026, as a part-payment.
Who is the Director-General of the Ghana Scholarships Authority?
The Director-General identified in the statement is Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei.
Does the reported debt mean that all University of Memphis scholarships have ended?
No. The GSA specifically says that the agreement has not been terminated. Students should nevertheless check official scholarship announcements for current application and funding information.
Conclusion
The Ghana Scholarships Authority has firmly rejected reports that the University of Memphis has terminated its scholarship agreement with Ghana.
The Authority says the agreement signed in April 2023 remains in force and provides for a five-year term, subject to its termination provisions.
The GSA has also disclosed that the Government of Ghana has released US$500,000 as a part-payment towards outstanding financial obligations.
With the GSA Director-General currently engaging the University of Memphis in the United States, further discussions are expected to determine how the remaining obligations will be addressed.
For Ghanaian students, the immediate message is clear: the GSA says the University of Memphis scholarship agreement has not been terminated.
Students should continue to rely on official communications from the Ghana Scholarships Authority and the University of Memphis for information about scholarship applications, eligibility and future opportunities.
Source: Ghana Scholarships Authority statement issued August 31, 2026, and details of the University of Memphis-GSA agreement cited by the Authority.
Editorial Note: EducateGhana.com will update this report if the Ghana Scholarships Authority, University of Memphis or other relevant authorities issue further clarification on the partnership.
