The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has instructed Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Ghana’s Presidential Envoy for Reparations, to either provide evidence validating his use of the academic title “Dr.” or discontinue its use if he cannot substantiate its legitimate conferment.
In a statement released on Monday, July 27, 2026, GTEC expressed its awareness of the title’s usage, particularly in contexts referring to him as “Amb. Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.”
The Commission emphasized that the employment of academic titles that have not been legitimately earned or conferred through an accredited academic process raises concerns and may mislead the public.
GTEC clarified that academic titles must be supported by formal academic validation and should be utilized in accordance with the established standards governing the conferment and recognition of academic qualifications in Ghana.
To clarify the situation, the Commission has requested documentation from Mr. Spio-Garbrah that outlines the basis for his use of the title “Dr.”
The requested documentation should include the name of the institution that granted the doctorate, whether the qualification is an earned doctoral degree or an honorary doctorate, the date of conferment, and the process through which it was awarded.
GTEC indicated that if Spio-Garbrah fails to provide the necessary documentation, he will be required to cease using the title “Dr.” immediately and demonstrate that it has been removed from all platforms on which it is displayed.
These platforms encompass official documents, institutional profiles, websites, letterheads, and any other public or professional representations.
The Commission has set a deadline of July 31, 2026, for Spio-Garbrah to respond to this directive and has expressed its expectation for his full cooperation in resolving the issue.
