The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has announced that it will begin arresting individuals who continue to use academic titles unlawfully, describing the act as a form of public deception.
In recent weeks, the Commission has been cautioning individuals against the use of unmerited titles such as “Dr.” and “Prof.,” even when those titles have been conferred as honorary.
However, at a press briefing on Friday, July 25, the Commission warned that it will, in the coming days, begin to investigate and prosecute individuals who wrongfully use these titles.
“For clarity, the term ‘honorary professor’ is non-existent in Ghana’s tertiary education system. The title “Professor” is strictly reserved for academic staff who have progressed through the academic ranks,” said Prof. Ahmed Jinapor, Director-General of GTEC.
He warned that such practices violate the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), and those found culpable would face sanctions, including fines of up to 250 penalty units, imprisonment for up to one year, or both. “So, our emphasis is a crusade to get the public to come to terms with the fact that the honeymoon period is over,” he added.
According to Prof. Jinapor, the conferral of academic titles in Ghana is strictly regulated, and only a university’s governing council has the legal mandate to confer the title of “Professor,” either through promotion or appointment, based on academic qualifications.
“Any individual claiming the title ‘honorary professor’ is misleading the public, and such conduct is fraudulent,” he stated. He clarified that “honorary professor titles conferred by foreign bodies without legitimate academic standing are not recognised in Ghana by the Commission.”
Citing Section 8(4)(d) of Act 1023, the Director-General noted that GTEC is empowered to regulate the use of higher education nomenclature, including terms such as “university,” “college,” “professor,” “doctor,” “chartered,” and similar titles.
He emphasized that “GTEC reserves the right to investigate and sanction any individual or institution involved in the misuse or misrepresentation of academic titles.”
On the use of the title “Dr.” by recipients of honorary doctorates, Prof. Jinapor stressed that such use is prohibited. “In line with international best practices, use of the title ‘Dr’ by honorary doctorate recipients; use of the title ‘Professor (Prof.)’ based on unverified ‘honorary’ awards; and the adoption of the title ‘Professor’ through visiting roles, where the home or host institution has not officially conferred the rank through a documented appointment process, are prohibited,” he explained.
He called on the media, civil society, and the public to help preserve the integrity of Ghana’s academic space, noting that impersonating academic or medical professionals using honorary awards poses significant ethical and legal risks.
“You just don’t get up one day and confer on yourself the title PhD, or its equivalent, without having gone through the rigour of what academics do,” Prof. Jinapor insisted.
