Dr. Kingsley Agyeman, Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, has commended the efforts of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) under Professor Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor ’s leadership for cracking down on individuals falsely claiming academic titles.
In an interview with Kojo Marfo on Abusua FM, Dr. Agyeman expressed concern over reports that some members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) have allegedly misrepresented their academic qualifications, specifically claiming to hold PhDs they never earned.
“It is a worrying development that some NDC members claim to have PhDs, but upon investigation, these claims were found to be false,” Dr. Agyeman said.
He underscored the importance of academic integrity, explaining that earning a doctoral degree involves significant effort, and falsely adopting such titles undermines the credibility of the academic community.
“We earn PhDs; it’s a lot of work, and if they continue to use titles they haven’t earned, it hurts academia,” Dr Agyeman stressed.
Dr. Agyeman praised Prof. Jinapor for his proactive stance, urging him to continue the rigorous verification process.
“Prof. Jinapor is doing excellent work in rooting out these false claims, and I encourage him to pursue it further because many others may still be misusing titles,” he added.
He concluded by emphasizing the damage caused by illegitimate use of academic credentials, stating, “You cannot just wake up and start calling yourself ‘Doctor’ when you haven’t earned it. It’s simply not acceptable.”
Background:
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has identified and taken action against at least 10 prominent public figures in 2025 for using fake or unearned PhDs and honorary titles.
These include;
- Joseph Obeng – President, Ghana Traders Union Association (GUTA)
- Hassan Ayariga – Former Presidential Candidate (All People’s Congress, APC)
- Rashid Tanko-Computer – Acting CEO, Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC)
- Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor – Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East
- Desmond De-Graft Paitoo – Member of Parliament for Gomoa East
- Edward Dua Agyeman – Former Auditor-General of Ghana
- Kwame Adom-Frimpong – Chair, Internal Audit Agency Board
- Williams Abayaawien Atuilik – Academic and Professional Accountant
- Dr. Nuhu Zakaria – CEO, National Ambulance Service
- Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah – Deputy Minister of Health
Source: www.Kumasimail.com
