The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has appealed to the United Kingdom government to exempt Ghanaian nationals from paying the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and other associated application fees.
According to him, the requirement places an unnecessary financial burden on Ghanaians, especially professionals and students seeking opportunities in the UK, despite English being Ghana’s official language and the main medium of instruction from basic school to tertiary level.
Mr. Ablakwa argued that it is unfair for Ghanaians—who are educated entirely in English—to be compelled to prove their language proficiency through costly examinations before being allowed to work, study, or migrate to the UK.
He noted that Ghana shares deep historical, educational, and administrative ties with Britain, making the continued enforcement of such tests difficult to justify. In his view, waiving the IELTS requirement would strengthen bilateral relations and promote greater cooperation between the two countries.
The Foreign Affairs Minister further stressed that many Commonwealth nations where English is the primary language do not face similar barriers, and Ghana should be treated with the same consideration.
Mr. Ablakwa expressed optimism that the UK authorities would review the policy in the spirit of fairness and mutual respect, adding that removing the fees would significantly ease the financial pressure on Ghanaian applicants and enhance people-to-people relations between both nations.
