10 popular public figures ordered by GTEC to drop their “Dr” or “Prof” titles

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has sparked controversy in recent months with an unprecedented campaign to address what it described as the "increasing prevalence" of inappropriate use of honorary doctorate degrees and professorship titles by public figures across the country.

Earlier in April 2025, the Commission expressed serious concern over the misuse of academic titles, stating that such practices were "misleading to the academic community" and contravened provisions of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023).

The Commission emphasised that honorary degrees should only be conferred by accredited and recognised institutions within Ghana's higher education framework, and that recipients should not adopt these titles as part of their names.

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Professor Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, Director-General of GTEC, made it clear that the Commission was particularly focused on earned academic credentials rather than honorary titles.

With the latest “victim” being Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Health Minister, who was directed in August 2025 to drop her “Professor” title, here are 10 prominent public figures who received similar directives this year.

Joseph Obeng – GUTA President

On 14 May 2025, GTEC instructed the President of the Ghana Traders Union Association (GUTA), Joseph Obeng, to immediately stop using the “Dr” title. The Commission stated there was no record of him being awarded such a degree and warned that further use of the title would attract disciplinary measures.

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Hassan Ayariga – Presidential Candidate (APC)

Former presidential candidate Hassan Ayariga became one of the most high-profile figures targeted when, on 14 July 2025, GTEC issued its fourth letter demanding proof of his doctorate degrees. The letters, which began in May, challenged Ayariga’s various claims of holding PhDs in Political Science and Business Management in addition to honorary doctorates. Ayariga rejected the directive, insisting he possessed three doctorates and threatened legal action against the Commission.

Rashid Tanko-Computer – Acting CEO, GIFEC

On 3 June 2025, GTEC directed Rashid Tanko-Computer, Acting CEO of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), to stop using the “Dr” title. The Commission concluded that his purported PhD from “Kingsnow University” was from an unaccredited institution and therefore invalid. He was ordered to remove the title from all official documents and platforms.

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Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor – MP for Awutu Senya East

On the same date, 3 June 2025, the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor, also received an official notice from GTEC. She was instructed to cease using the “Dr” title after the Commission determined that there were no verifiable academic credentials supporting her claim.

Desmond De-Graft Paitoo – MP for Gomoa East

Also on 3 June 2025, the Gomoa East MP, Desmond De-Graft Paitoo, was cautioned by GTEC to stop using the “Dr” title. He was asked to provide evidence of its legitimacy, including the awarding institution and details of the conferment process, before he could continue to use the designation.

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Edward Dua Agyeman – Former Auditor-General

On 17 June 2025, GTEC turned its attention to former Auditor-General Edward Dua Agyeman. He was ordered to stop using the “Professor” title unless he could produce verifiable proof of an appointment or promotion to that rank by a recognised university. Dua Agyeman countered by arguing that professorship can also be earned through professional expertise and scholarly contributions, not solely through possession of a PhD.

Kwame Adom-Frimpong – Internal Audit Agency Board Chair

A day earlier, on 16 June 2025, GTEC had sent a similar directive to Kwame Adom-Frimpong, Chair of the Internal Audit Agency Board. He was told to desist from using the title “Professor” unless he could produce credible documentation of a legitimate appointment from a recognised academic institution.

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Williams Abayaawien Atuilik – Academic/Accountant

On 17 June 2025, academic and professional accountant Williams Abayaawien Atuilik also came under scrutiny. GTEC directed him to stop presenting himself as a professor unless he could provide clear evidence of a formal appointment by a recognised tertiary institution.

Dr Nuhu Zakaria – CEO, National Ambulance Service

The campaign moved into the health sector on 4 July 2025 when Dr Nuhu Zakaria, CEO of the National Ambulance Service, was instructed to drop the “Professor” title. The Commission concluded that there was no record of him legitimately earning such an academic distinction.

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Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah – Deputy Minister of Health

The most recent case came this month when GTEC cautioned Deputy Minister of Health Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah over her use of the “Professor” title. Letters dated 4 and 12 August revealed inconsistencies in documents submitted by her lawyers. While she had served as an “Adjunct Assistant Professor of Surgery” at the University of Utah, GTEC clarified that this role was equivalent to a part-time lecturer and not a professorship under Ghana’s academic framework.

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The Enforcement Campaign

GTEC’s actions represent one of the boldest enforcement drives in Ghana’s academic space. The regulator has cautioned that the continued misuse of academic titles will attract disciplinary measures and, where necessary, legal consequences for public deception.

From former presidential candidates and MPs to board chairs and chief executives, the crackdown has highlighted how widespread the inappropriate use of titles such as “Dr” and “Professor” has become in Ghana’s public life. While some individuals have complied quietly, others have openly contested the directive, arguing that GTEC’s position is either politically motivated, procedurally flawed, or lacking in clarity.