The executives of Ghanaian government-sponsored PhD students in the United Kingdom have issued a one-week ultimatum to the Ghana High Commission in London, demanding the immediate release of a full video footage capturing events leading to the alleged assault of one of their colleagues. They have also warned that failure to comply will compel them to seek police investigations and report the matter to UK advisory and oversight bodies, including Citizens Advice and the Ombudsman.
The demand follows an incident said to have occurred on June 16, 2026, during a peaceful demonstration by sponsored students over prolonged delays in the payment of tuition fees and stipends under the Ghana Scholarship Authority (GSA).
In a statement issued on Friday, June 19, the group said the victim, Abena Fosua Gyasi, sustained multiple soft tissue injuries and has since received medical treatment following medical examination, with doctors indicating a recovery period of up to two weeks.
They alleged that the incident occurred during a static protest at the High Commission, during which Miss Gyasi was verbally and physically assaulted by a staff member identified in the statement as Bridget Bonney, alongside others.
The executives have since announced the reactivation of their suspended protest actions and plan to stage a week-long demonstration in London from July 2 to July 9, 2026, to demand payment of outstanding tuition fees and stipends owed to Ghanaian-sponsored students.
They also indicated plans to engage international media outlets, including the BBC, to escalate the matter, while calling for direct presidential intervention.
“We call on President John Dramani Mahama to take a personal interest in this issue to ensure speedy justice and resolution. That said, we entreat all sponsored students in the UK to remain calm while we seek justice not just for our assaulted sister, but also for all students who have had to live through a harrowing situation due to the government’s failure to release funds to substantially address the tuition and stipend payments,” the statement added.
