GTEC orders Ing. Ken Ashigbey to stop using ‘Dr’ title over invalid DBA certificate

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed Ing. Ken Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, to immediately cease using the title “Dr.” following findings that his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) certificate from the Swiss Management Centre (SMC) is invalid.

According to a statement issued on Friday, October 10, 2025, and signed by GTEC’s Director-General, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the decision follows an investigation into a petition challenging the authenticity of Mr Ashigbey’s doctoral qualification.

The Commission stated that a preliminary check confirmed Mr Ashigbey had obtained a DBA degree and, upon request, he submitted his certificate and academic transcripts for verification. However, GTEC’s review revealed inconsistencies between the two documents. While the certificate was issued by the Swiss Management Centre (SMC), the transcript bore the name “Swiss Management Centre (SMC) University.”

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Further checks on the institution’s official website as of October 10, 2025, showed that it currently operates under the name “Swiss Management Centre,” consistent with the name appearing on the certificate dated December 30, 2019. The Commission described it as irregular that the transcript, issued later on January 15, 2020, included the word “University,” which was absent from the certificate.

GTEC also raised concern over the unusually long duration of the programme. The transcript indicated an enrolment date of February 10, 2010, and a graduation date of December 30, 2019, suggesting that the course lasted nine (9) years, an atypical timeframe for such a degree.

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The statement noted:

In view of the above, and in accordance with Section 7(i) of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), which mandates the Commission as the sole state authority to evaluate and authenticate both local and foreign qualifications, the GTEC deems your Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) certificate from the Swiss Management Centre (SMC) invalid.

Consequently, the Commission has instructed Mr Ashigbey to provide verifiable evidence that the “Dr.” title has been removed from all official and professional materials, including documents, institutional profiles, websites, digital platforms, and letterheads.

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While GTEC noted that a full assessment of the case is still ongoing, the directive forms part of its broader mandate to uphold academic integrity and ensure that only authentic qualifications are recognised in Ghana.

The Commission’s action represents 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.