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Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, the Deputy Minister of Health, has replied to the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof Ahmed Jinapor, over her ‘Professor’ title.
She noted that GTEC wants to discredit the hard work she has done.
Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah further quizzed GTEC on whether they are going to settle the ‘Professor’ title on social media.
Speaking in an interview on CTV on Monday, August 18, 2025, Dr Ayensu-Danquah questioned, “My question is, as a state regulator, are we going to settle the matter on social media? Should we be talking about the matter on social media? As a regulator, shouldn’t you be going through due process?
“So, what I see is just an attempt to discredit the hard work I have done… I’m still trying to figure it out. So, I want Honourable Jinapor to bring his CV for us to compare,” she said.
She further reiterated, “I earned my professor of surgery title long ago. I have a campus in Utah, where I head the global surgery department. But I prefer to be here to help my people; that is why I’m here, that is why I’m not in the classroom every day.
“But even still, I have a residency programme that I manage here in Ghana. I’m doing public research in Ghana, including breast cancer research, quality assurance and quality improvement for surgical care in Ghana. So, the issue is strange to me,” she added.
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.
Watch her remarks near the end of the video below: