Watch as Ghanaian students in Morocco hit the streets over government's failure to pay their stipend

Ghanaian students under government of Ghana scholarship in Morocco took to the streets in Rabat, the capital of the North African country, to express their displeasure over the government's failure to pay their monthly stipend.

According to the students, they are suffering because the government has not paid their stipend for ten months.

In a video sighted by GhanaWeb, the students can be seen in front of Ghana’s Embassy in Rabat begging President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to come to their aid.

One of the students said that some of them now have to resort to sleeping outside because their landlords have thrown them out due to their failure to pay their rent.

"The question is, how do we survive? Our landlords are chasing us out of our apartments; some of us are sleeping with our friends, some of us are sleeping outside.

"Imagine sending your daughter to another country to come and study for 10 months without sending her money to pay her rent; how do you want her to survive? There are people here in debt, and some are depressed. The last time, we had someone almost commit suicide," he said.

"This is not noise. This is not a story or a narrative; this is what we are going through. Our lives are in danger. We are begging you, Mr President, if you don't intervene, there will be blood on your hands," he said as they all went on their knees begging.

It can be recalled that the students, in a statement on May 14, 2024, said that the delay in the stipend payments has created security threats and academic challenges that could negatively impact their education.

"In spite of the fact that students are supposed to receive monthly stipends for basic needs such as food, accommodation, transport, study materials, and administrative needs, students are left in the lurch. The prolonged delay in stipend payments, which has lasted for ten months, has caused significant havoc among Ghanaian students in Morocco.

"Leading to financial struggles, emotional distress, security threats, and academic challenges for undergraduates, masters, PhDs, and post-doctoral students. Some individuals have developed the urge to commit suicide, and some are at risk of developing mental problems due to the mental stress faced in this havoc," portions of the statement read.

The statement also cautioned that Ghanaian students might be forced to abandon their studies and return home if the government does not release the stipends soon.

"We trust that this plea will prompt the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat to expedite the stipend distribution process.

"The welfare and academic achievements of the students hang in the balance, necessitating immediate action to relieve their plight and ensure the continuation of their education."

Watch the video below:



BAI/ ADG

In the meantime, catch up on the latest edition of People & Places on GhanaWeb TV, as we bring you the story of the over 100-year-old Ghanaian 'domedo' business below:





Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.