Ghana Establishes Special Department to Support Students Abroad | By Obed Andoh | Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the establishment of a new special department to support Ghanaian students studying in 11 countries. This initiative seeks to address various challenges faced by students while abroad.
In a post on social media platform X on February 17, 2025, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, emphasized the importance of prioritizing the needs of these students. He stated: “I am delighted to announce that, on my instructions, Ghana’s Foreign Ministry has established a special department in our diplomatic missions abroad to prioritize and cater for the needs of students.”
Student Desks have been created in countries identified as having a high population of Ghanaian students, including Abidjan, Beijing, Belgrade, Cotonou, Havana, Lome, London, Moscow, Rabat, Rome, and Ottawa. Following this initial phase, the initiative is expected to expand to cover all Ghanaian diplomatic missions worldwide.
The new department will not incur additional costs for the Ghanaian taxpayer as it will utilize existing consular staff through reassignment. Embassy officials assigned to this role are expected to provide monthly reports to the Consular and Humanitarian Affairs Bureau, which will be sent to the Foreign Minister.
The initiative reflects the Mahama administration’s commitment to ensuring that Ghanaian students, particularly those on government scholarships, do not face neglect or frustration while seeking urgent assistance in areas such as financial aid for fees, immigration support, medical emergencies, academic record verification, housing assistance, evacuations, and legal aid.
Ghana Establishes Special Department to Support Students Abroad | AviationGhana | By Obed Andoh
