Lawyers for Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, have pushed back strongly against the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) over its directive asking her to stop using the title “Professor.”
This comes after GTEC warns the deputy Health Minister to stop using the ‘prof’ title which the Council claims there is no evidence to that.
In a letter dated August 13, 2025, and addressed to the Director-General of GTEC, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, her legal counsel, led by David K. Ametefe, described the directive as abrasive, unnecessarily combative, and damaging to her reputation.
The lawyers argued that the Commission’s action was procedurally irregular and lacked transparency, noting that Dr. Ayensu-Danquah was not given an opportunity to respond before the letter was circulated to the Chief of Staff, the Minister of Health, Parliament, and the Board Chairman of GTEC.
They said the move was wholly improper and could be considered defamatory, insisting that the matter was purely academic and should not have been escalated to political offices.
According to them, GTEC has no statutory authority to strip or redefine academic titles conferred by foreign institutions, and its claim that only tenure-track positions justify the title “Professor” is erroneous and inconsistent with international standards.
They cited conventions such as the UNESCO Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications and the Lisbon Recognition Convention, which emphasise that academic titles should be recognised as awarded by the conferring institution.
“It is also noteworthy that the principles of good administration require that statutory bodies act with due courtesy, avoid emotive or accusatory language in official correspondence, and maintain neutrality in the absence of proven misconduct. The accusatory tone of your correspondence, the circulation of these letters to political offices unconnected to the matter, and the confusion over basic academic norms give rise to the appearance of bias and undermine public confidence in the Commission’s work.”
They warned that the Commission’s conduct risked appearing vindictive and driven by personality rather than law.
The legal team has demanded that GTEC disclose the process and legal basis for its conclusions, clarify its mandate in relation to individuals not employed in tertiary institutions, and show evidence that Dr. Ayensu-Danquah was given the right to respond.
The lawyers cautioned that if the Commission fails to address their concerns within 14 days, their client will seek legal remedies, including certiorari, mandamus, and declaratory relief, to protect her reputation.
“Finally, we request that you respond to this letter within fourteen (14) days of receipt, with full disclosure of the documents, processes, and legal provisions relied upon, failing which our client reserves all her rights to seek appropriate remedies including orders of certiorari and mandamus, as well as declaratory relief to protect her reputation and professional standing.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
