The campaign to sanitise the use of unearned academic titles in Ghana has been extended to the House of Parliament, where some members of Parliament have been cited for joining the increasing trend of individuals using those unearned titles.

As of Monday, June 16, 2025, two members of Parliament in the persons of Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor, Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, and Desmond De-Graft Paitoo, Member of Parliament for Gomoa East, all in the Central Region, had received correspondence from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) asking them to refrain from using the honorary titles "Doctor" (Dr) as part of their names in any official or public communication.

According to GTEC, the use of such titles, particularly where they lack academic validation, can be misleading and is inconsistent with the established academic protocols governing the conferment and use of academic distinction in Ghana.

It said the continuous use of such honorary titles, which was on the increase in recent times in Ghana, is considered unethical and is in violation of several provisions of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) and other relevant statutes governing higher education in Ghana.

Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor - MP for Awutu Senya East

Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor - MP for Awutu Senya East and member of NPA Board

GTEC in a letter dated June 16 addressed to Naa Koryoo Okunor MP for Awutu Senya East on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for example, who was recently appointed and sworn in as a member of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Board requested her to cease the use of the "Doctor" title.

Additionally, GTEC has directed her to submit verifiable evidence that the title has been removed from all relevant platforms,  including but not limited to official documents, institutional profiles, websites, letterheads and any other public or professional representations.

"The Commission expects your full cooperation in this matter and looks forward to receiving confirmation of compliance at your earliest convenience." the letter indicated.

Desmond De-Graft Paitoo - MP for Gomoa East

Desmond De-Graft Paitoo - MP for Gomoa East

For Desmond De-Graft Pailtoo, the MP for Gomoa East on the ticket of the NDC, GTEC in a letter dated June 3, 2025, directed him to stop using the "Doctor" title until he provided clarification on the awarding institution of the doctoral title; whether the degree was earned or honorary; when it was conferred and the process through which the title was conferred.

GTEC requested the Gomoa East MP to take full responsibility for this matter and immediately refrain from using the honorary title "Doctor" (Dr) as part of his name in any official or public communication.

It also advised that failure to comply with this directive may compel the Commission to exercise its regulatory mandate, including the imposition of appropriate sanctions in accordance with the law.

"We would appreciate receiving your response not later than 30th June, 2025," it added.

Kwame Adom-Frimpong

Kwame Adom-Frimpong

For Kwame Adom-Frimpong of the Internal Audit Agency, GTEC, in a letter dated June 16, 2025, raised an issue with his continued use of the academic title "Professor," specifically in reference to himself as "Prof Kwame Adom-Frimpong".

"For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission wishes to express its concern regarding the use of the unearned academic titles. The use of such titles, particularly where they lack formal academic validation, is potentially misleading and does not align with the established academic protocols governing the use of academic ranks in Ghana."

"In the light of the above, the Commission is requesting you submit a copy of the letter from a recognised institution appointing or promoting you to the rank of associate professor or professor. Otherwise, you are requested as a matter of urgency to cease the use of the title "Professor."

"You are further required to provide verifiable evidence that the title has been withdrawn from all relevant platforms, including but not limited to official documents, institutional profiles, websites, letterheads, and any other public or professional representations," the letter added.

It said the commission was expecting his full cooperation in addressing the matter and looked forward to his prompt compliance.

Kwame Adom-Frimpong per his profile published by the Internal Audit Agency where he is serving as a Board Member (click this link for more) is a Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant, Facilitator, and Trainer.

He is said to have wide experience in Financial Management, Public Administration, Development Planning and Management, etc.

According to the profile, he has consulted for a number of government and non-governmental organisations, including donor agencies from 1988 to date.

He is currently the Managing Director of Mainstream Reinsurance Company Ltd and that until he was appointed the Managing Director in 2009, he was the Director in charge of Finance, a position he held for 10 years.

He was formerly the Head of Audit at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and Senior Supervisor of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).

His profile published by the Internal Audit Agency also indicates that he is an adjunct Professor in Finance at the Department of Finance at University of Ghana Business School, Ghana and a visiting Professor at Ghana Baptist University College in Kumasi and that he lectured for eight years to 2016 at the Institute of Public Administration (GIMPA) and currently the chairman of the academic board of Ghana Insurance College.

In addition to being a Chartered Accountant, he holds a Doctorate degree in Financial Management and MBA in Finance and is also a Fellow of Chartered Insurance Institute, Ghana (CIIG) and Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB). In addition he has completed degrees in LLB, LLM and a Barrister in Law and is a member of Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and member of Ghana Institute of Taxation according to the published profile.

He is a Past President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana and the Association of Accounting Bodies in West Africa (2018-2020).

GTEC's action

Graphic Online understands that GTEC in separate letters to a number of individuals, has expressed serious concern over their continued use of the academic titles such as "Professor" and "Doctor" in formal communications, even though the "Dr" titles were conferred on them as honorary titles. 

The Commission has asked all those individuals to provide evidence on whether those degrees were earned or honorary, when it was conferred, and the process through which the title was conferred.

GTEC in the letter to them expressed serious concern about the increasing trend of individuals in Ghana adopting honorary doctorates-such as the one associated with names as academic or professional titles.

"These degrees, often conferred by institutions within and outside Ghana, do not carry the academic equivalence of earned doctoral qualifications", it explained.

GTEC’s Deputy Director-General, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, stated that the use of unearned titles, whether conferred by institutions within Ghana or abroad, is inconsistent with the standards governing the conferment and use of academic distinctions in the country.

Read also: GTEC writes to Tanko-Computer about 'unearned' PhD and requests he ceases using ‘Doctor’ title