Dr Joseph Obeng is the President of the Ghana Traders Union Association

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has issued a directive to Dr Joseph Obeng, President of the Ghana Traders Union Association, instructing him to immediately cease using the “Dr” title in his name.

According to GTEC, there is no record of awarding Obeng the academic title, and he must refrain from using it to avoid possible sanctions.

In a statement sighted by GhanaWeb, GTEC emphasised that falsely claiming academic credentials is unethical and violates the rules and regulations of Ghana’s education system.

The institution further stressed the importance of preserving academic integrity, urging individuals to respect professional and educational titles to maintain credibility within the country’s academic and professional landscape.

“The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission has noted your continuous use of the title ‘doctor’, i.e., Dr. Joseph Obeng. The Commission would like to know the process, the time, and which institution awarded you the doctorate title.

“For clarity, the Commission expresses its deep concern regarding the increasing prevalence of honorary doctorates such as yours that are conferred upon individuals by various institutions, both in Ghana and abroad,” the statement read.

The commission further cautioned Joseph Obeng to refrain from using the title, as the continued use will lead to disciplinary measures.

It said, “In light of this, the Commission requests that you exercise personal responsibility regarding this issue and refrain from using the honorary title ‘doctor’ - ‘Dr’ - as part of your name. Please be informed that should the directive from the Commission be disregarded, the Commission reserves the right to invoke its regulatory functions to sanction you.”

Read the statement from GTEC below:

VKB/MA