The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has disclosed that a significant number of doctorate degrees held by Ghanaians are not genuine, as they were awarded by unaccredited foreign institutions.
Director-General of GTEC, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, said investigations by the Commission reveal that many doctorate certificates presented by individuals were issued by institutions whose accreditation status and operational legitimacy are questionable, rendering such qualifications invalid under Ghana’s regulatory framework.
Speaking on TV3 on Sunday, December 14, 2025, Prof. Abdulai explained that most foreign institutions granting doctorate degrees to Ghanaians do not have the required accreditation.
“Some certificates that are claimed to have been obtained from certain institutions are invalid because the basis upon which those certificates were given is questionable. In our case, we have come to realize that a number of these institutions, most of which are foreign, do not have accreditation,”
– Pro. Abdulai
He added that GTEC conducts detailed verification processes and engages affected individuals directly when questionable qualifications are identified.
“The operations of these institutions are questionable, and in each of these cases, we do serious checks and even engage the individuals involved,” he said.
According to Prof. Abdulai, the cases that have been publicly disclosed represent only a small fraction of ongoing investigations into questionable doctorate degrees. He noted that most individuals comply with GTEC’s directives once the regulatory implications are explained to them.
“And to be honest with you, most of the people we engage, when they understand and appreciate the dynamics of where they find themselves, they simply say, ‘we are not interested. I was given an honorary doctorate with the intention that I could use it, but if the regulator says I cannot use it and that it dilutes the environment, I am ready to let it go,’”
– he explained
The GTEC boss dismissed claims that the Commission’s actions are driven by personal vendettas or selective enforcement.
“I can say for a fact that 99 percent of the individuals who have come into the public domain had prior engagements with us through private conversations or written letters. In most instances, those who agree to shelve the use of such degrees are more than those who refuse,”
– he said.
He emphasized that GTEC’s mandate is to protect the integrity of Ghana’s tertiary education system, not to target individuals.
“This is about regulation, not personalities. In most cases, people cooperate once they understand that the use of such titles dilutes the academic environment,”
– Prof. Abdulai stated.
GTEC maintains that the ongoing crackdown is necessary to curb academic misrepresentation, safeguard professional standards, and maintain public confidence in Ghana’s higher education system.
