The Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Professor Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, has firmly denied claims that the Commission’s recent clampdown on the misuse of honorary academic titles is politically motivated.
Speaking on Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Prof. Jinapor said the Commission’s efforts to regulate the use of titles like “Doctor” and “Professor” are part of a broader campaign to sanitize Ghana’s academic space, not to target individuals or political figures.
“Our position is to sanitise and regulate the tertiary educational space. Honorary doctorates, though they reflect one’s contribution to society, are not academic qualifications,” Prof. Jinapor stated.
“It’s even more worrying when it comes to professorship. There are a lot of people who claim to be professors when they are not. We’re not going to renege on our efforts. It’s not about politics.”
The clarification follows public debate sparked by GTEC’s recent directives cautioning individuals against appending honorary academic titles to their names, unless they’ve earned them through formal academic pathways.
Among those cited in recent actions were Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor, MP for Awutu Senya East, and Sofo Rashid Tanko, popularly known as “Tanko-Computer” and acting CEO of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC). Both were instructed to immediately cease using the title “Doctor”, as GTEC found no academic justification for its use.
While Prof. Jinapor acknowledged that most individuals comply when alerted, he said a small number remain defiant.
“It’s just a few recalcitrant ones who are adamant and have been fighting the system,” he said.
He further emphasised that the misuse of academic titles is not confined to politics but reflects a broader issue across various sectors.
“The names you’ve heard are just a microcosm of a much bigger problem. It cuts across all spheres,” he noted.
GTEC’s move has drawn both praise and criticism, with some commending the effort to restore credibility and integrity to Ghana’s education system, while others accuse the Commission of selective enforcement.
Still, the Commission insists it remains focused on upholding academic standards and restoring public trust in the tertiary education sector.
