Ghanaian students on the Stipendium Hungarian Scholarship have issued an unreserved apology to the governments of Ghana and Hungary for a news publication that cited some of them as complaining of starvation in the Central European country.

“We unreservedly apologise to everyone affected, inconvenienced, embarrassed or disappointed by the news publication,” the students said in a statement dated Sunday 20 August.

According to the students, the “supposed letter addressed to the Scholarship Secretariat of Ghana” which was cited by the local media as basis for the publication, was only “an appeal for an aid made to Ghana Government and not directed to the Government of Hungary.”

“The purpose of the letter was to seek support from our home Government,” the students explained, adding that: “The call for support from the Ghanaian government started long ago through formal and informal means. We, therefore, have absolute confidence in the Government of Ghana and their goodwill towards all citizens across the world including those of us here in Hungary.”

Below is the full statement by the Ghanaian students in Budapest addressed to the Hungarian Ambassador to Ghana:

GHANAIAN STUDENTS IN HUNGARY STIPENDIUM HUNGARICUM SCHOLARSHIP 2016 BENEFICIARIES HUNGARY

20th August 2017

THE AMBASSADOR, HUNGARIAN EMBASSY, ACCRA, GHANA.

Dear Sir/Madam,

2016 GHANAIAN STIPENDIUM HUNGARICUM SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS’ SET THE RECORDS STRAIGHT

On 14th August 2017, we woke up to a shocking news item published on the citifmonline.com captioned “Ghanaian students starving in Hungary”. This news item though misleading is attributed to us the beneficiaries of the 2016 Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarships.

We would want to set the records straight with the following statements:

1. We want to first and foremost thank the Government of Hungary and Ghana for giving us the opportunity to study in Hungary under the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship.

2. We unreservedly apologise to everyone affected, inconvenienced, embarrassed or disappointed by the news publication.

3. The supposed letter addressed to the Scholarship Secretariat of Ghana as cited in the media was an appeal for an aid made to Ghana Government and not directed to the Government of Hungary. The purpose of the letter was to seek support from our home Government.

4. The call for support from the Ghanaian government started long ago through formal and informal means. We, therefore, have absolute confidence in the Government of Ghana and their goodwill towards all citizens across the world including those of us here in Hungary.

5. We are committed to finishing our various programmes and being good ambassadors of both countries.

6. Furthermore, to curtail the recurrence of such issues, we have instituted some measures which include constituting an interim leadership team, educating and reminding our members on the need to refrain from activities that may endanger the bilateral relations between both countries.

Based on the above points raised, we would want to request that your good office disregard anything that seem to discredit the investment made in building a healthy relationship between Hungary and Ghana.

Yours faithfully,

Ghanaian Students in Hungary

Representative : Kennedy Okai Mensah Kofi Okyere Solomon Kojo Kpodo Rexford Sefa – Amankwah Gifty Yeboaa Boatey Wisdom Gbafa

CC:

i. Tempus Public Foundation, Budapest, Hungary

ii. Ministry of Education, Accra, Ghana

iii. Ministry of Education, Budapest, Hungary

iv. Consulate of Ghana. Budapest, Hungary

v. Embassy of Ghana, Prague, Czech Republic

vi. Scholarship Secretariat, Ghana

vii. All Media Outlets

viii. All 2016 Ghanaian Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holders