The Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Richard Kofi Asiedu, has officially discontinued the use of the academic title “Professor” in response to a directive from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission.
In a statement issued Friday, Aug. 1, Asiedu confirmed his compliance with GTEC’s caution, stating: “As a law-abiding citizen, I have duly obliged the notice by GTEC and have accordingly ceased using the title of professor.”
The decision follows a letter dated July 28 from GTEC, which cautioned him against the continued use of the title without the appropriate academic qualifications. The commission referenced Section 8(4)(d) of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), which prohibits individuals from using academic titles unless they are formally earned.
According to GTEC, Mr. Asiedu had previously been instructed on June 2 to stop using the title and to provide evidence of its removal from all public platforms, as well as submit his academic credentials.
In his response,he clarified that the title was honorary, conferred on him by Alfred Nobel University in Ukraine in recognition of his contributions to human development. He explained that he had used the title for the past three years, unaware it was against the rules.
“I did not know that honorary titles could not be used until this prompting by GTEC. I want to put it on record that I did not chase the title on a whim. Alfred Nobel University, an internationally recognized and accredited institution in Dnipro, Ukraine, followed my contributions to human development and consequently conferred the title on me.”
Asiedu indicated he had reverted to his Ph.D. credential, earned through research in 2012, and urged the public to take note of the change.
In recent months, the GTEC has intensified efforts to curb the misuse of academic titles, focusing on individuals across both public and private sectors. The Commission maintains that these actions are intended to safeguard the credibility of Ghana’s tertiary education system and ensure that academic honors are backed by verifiable credentials.
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Story by Michelle Lartey|univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Abdul Wahab Razak
