The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has banned individuals from flaunting honorary doctorate or professorship titles in public.
A statement signed by Augustine Ocloo, the GTEC acting deputy director-general, said the commission would begin naming, shaming, and taking legal action against anyone especially politicians, business people, and religious leaders, who disobey the directive.
Ocloo, who described the practice as “unethical and misleading”, said the act is tarnishing Ghana’s higher education system.
He also noted that the “rampant and fraudulent” use of honorary titles is devaluing real academic achievements like PhDs and professorship titles earned through rigorous research and peer 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 are advanced academic attainment obtained by an individual in any discipline in a university.
The warning comes amid growing concern over “degree mills”—unaccredited schools offering bogus honorary degrees in exchange for money.
These titles are frequently used to boost personal prestige, despite lacking any genuine academic merit.