The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has issued a directive prohibiting individuals from publicly using honorary doctorate and professorship titles.
In a statement signed by Augustine Ocloo, Acting Deputy Director-General of GTEC, the commission declared that it would begin identifying and publicly naming individuals who violate the directive, while also pursuing legal action. The warning is specifically directed at politicians, business leaders, and religious figures.
Describing the practice as “unethical and misleading”, Ocloo noted that the widespread and often fraudulent use of honorary titles is damaging the credibility of Ghana’s higher education system.
He warned that such misuse undermines legitimate academic achievements, such as earned PhDs and professorships, which require years of rigorous research and peer-reviewed recognition.
“This notice goes especially to politicians, businessmen and businesswomen, men and women of God, and any other category of persons to desist from officially using the honorary doctorate and professorship titles in their everyday life,” the statement reads.
Doctorates and professorships, he explained, are academic honours conferred by accredited universities based on scholarly accomplishments, not honorary awards often given without academic merit.
The announcement follows rising concerns over the proliferation of “degree mills”—unaccredited institutions that offer honorary degrees in exchange for money. Such degrees are often used to falsely enhance personal prestige.
GTEC’s intervention aims to protect the integrity of the academic community and ensure that academic titles retain their value and significance.
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