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Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a private legal practitioner and social activist, has said nowhere in the laws of Ghana empower the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to sit in judgment on professorial titles.
According to Vormawor, GTEC is supposed to be the guardian of academic quality and standards in this country; instead, GTEC has become the subject of controversy for claiming the power to decide who can or cannot use the title “Professor”.
In a post on X, Vormawor wrote, “ Over these past few days, GTEC has been in the news for the most strange reasons.
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission is supposed to be the guardian of academic quality and standards in this country. Instead, it has become the subject of controversy for claiming the power to decide who can or cannot use the title “Professor.”
This is deeply problematic. GTEC’s mandate under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act is straightforward: regulate tertiary institutions, monitor academic standards, and verify certificates and degrees when formally requested”.
He boldly added, “Nowhere does the law empower it to sit in judgment on professorial titles, especially when those titles are conferred by universities outside Ghana. And for good reason. This is why… “.
Vormawor further detailed, “At the heart of this debate is a very simple truth: there is no single international system for comparing professorships. In the United States, both tenure-track and non-tenure-track appointments are addressed as “Professor.” In the UK, “Professor” is reserved for the most senior appointments. In France or South Africa, the terminology differs again. These are local traditions, not global rules. To suggest that GTEC can apply a universal test is not just wrong; it misinforms the public.
It is one thing to have never been appointed a professor at all. But it is entirely different, and dangerous, for a regulator to pretend that an international standard exists when it does not. Even within the same country, the distinction between tenure-track and non-tenure-track has nothing to do with whether a person is addressed as “Professor.” GTEC’s claim to the contrary is uninformed”.
The private legal practitioner further noted that this is not the first time GTEC’s methods have been called into question, citing the case involving Professor Edward Dua Agyeman.
He further accused GTEC of reacting to social media chatter and issuing official letters instead of acting on a formal complaint.
Vormawor further added, “Ghana deserves a regulator that acts with rigour, transparency, and fairness. If GTEC continues to stretch its mandate, operate without clear standards, and chase headlines instead of doing its job, it will damage not only its own reputation but also the very system it was created to protect”.
His comments come after the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has said Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, the Deputy Minister of Health, does not hold the title of a professor.
GTEC has warned Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah against presenting herself as a professor.
According to GTEC, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, despite her claims, was never appointed as an Assistant Professor of Surgery by the University of Utah in the United States.
GTEC, in a letter addressed to the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, requested Dr Ayensu-Danquah to provide documentary proof of her professorial appointment by August 11, 2025.
According to the deputy minister legal team responded and insisted she was an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah in the United States.
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission further revealed that documents submitted by Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah’s legal team were inconsistent.
GTEC added that a letter from the University of Utah, signed by Prof. W. Bradford Rockwell, Vice Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Surgery, clarified that Dr. Ayensu-Danquah was appointed as an Adjunct Assistant Professor and not Assistant Professor.
According to GTEC, the role of Adjunct Assistant Professor is a non-tenure track position which equates to a part-time lecturer under Ghana’s academic framework and not a senior lecturer, and certainly not a professor.
GTEC letter boldly stated, “Based on the above, the Commission concludes that Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah does not hold the title of Professor in any capacity”.
They further warn the deputy of presenting herself as a professor otherwise, legal action on grounds of public deception will be initiated against her.
In addition, GTEC has also warned the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC), Sofo Rashid Tanko-Computer, to cease using the doctor title.
Tanko-Computer had maintained he acquired a PhD from Kingsnow University in 2016, but GTEC, in a letter on June 3, 2025, stated the degree was unearned.
He was ordered to stop using the title Doctor. GTEC further requested Tanko-Computer to take off the Doctor title from platforms, such as official documents, institutional profiles, websites, letterheads, and any other public or professional representations.
Also, Hassan Ayariga, the Presidential Candidate of the All People’s Congress (APC), was directed to stop using the academic title “Dr” after he failed to provide evidence verifying the legitimacy of the designation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 15, the Commission stated, “To date, the Commission has not received any response from you. This continued silence is unacceptable”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission hereby formally expresses its concern regarding the use of academic titles that have not been duly earned and conferred through a recognised academic process.
“The use of such titles, particularly when lacking formal academic validation, is misleading and inconsistent with the academic protocols and standards governing the conferment and use of academic ranks in Ghana,” GTEC stated.
Meanwhile, on May 30, 2025, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission warned against the abuse of titles like Doctor and Professor by people without documented credentials.
See the post below:
Let’s Talk GTEC.
— Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor (@barkervogues) August 17, 2025
1. Over these past few days, GTEC has been in the news for the most strange reasons
2. The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission is supposed to be the guardian of academic quality and standards in this country. Instead, it has become the subject of controversy…