The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed Ghana’s Presidential Envoy for Reparations, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, to provide evidence supporting his use of the academic title “Dr.” or cease using it if he is unable to establish that the title was legitimately conferred.
In a statement issued on Monday, July 27, 2026, GTEC said it had taken note of references to the former Foreign Affairs Minister as “Amb. Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.”
The Commission said the use of academic titles without evidence of formal conferment through a recognised academic process raises concerns and could potentially mislead the public.
According to GTEC, academic titles must be backed by appropriate qualifications and used in line with established standards governing the conferment and recognition of academic credentials in Ghana.
To clarify the matter, the Commission has requested documentation from Mr Spio-Garbrah outlining the basis for his use of the title “Dr.”
The requested information includes the name of the institution that awarded the doctorate, whether the qualification is an earned doctoral degree or an honorary doctorate, the date it was conferred and the process through which it was awarded.
GTEC further stated that if Mr Spio-Garbrah fails to provide the required documentation, he will be expected to immediately discontinue the use of the title “Dr.” and provide evidence that it has been removed from all platforms where it appears.
These include official documents, institutional profiles, websites, letterheads and other public or professional representations.
The Commission has given Mr Spio-Garbrah until July 31, 2026, to respond to the directive, adding that it expects his full cooperation in resolving the matter.
