Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, the Presidential Special Envoy for Reparations, has responded to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) over concerns regarding his use of the honorific title “Dr”.
According to Spio-Garbrah, he had not routinely used the title immediately after its conferment.
In a letter addressed to the Director-General of GTEC, Spio-Garbrah clarified that his “Dr” title was awarded to him honoris causa by Middlebury College in Vermont, United States, in 2002.
Spio-Garbrah disclosed that it was only after his successful interview and appointment as CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) based in London in 2003 that the Board of the international organisation directed him to use the honorific title.
His statement disclosed, “I have the highest respect for those who have undertaken the demanding academic journey required to earn doctoral degrees through rigorous study, research, examination and dissertation. The norm for ‘PhD’ holders is to write the PhD after their names. I have never written a PhD after my name”.
He further disclosed that he does not hold an academically earned PhD adding that he never intended to represent himself as holding one.
“What I do hold is an honorary doctorate formally conferred upon me by Middlebury University at a duly convened academic congregation in May 2002. Documentary evidence of that conferment, including photographs from the ceremony, is attached,” he added.
According to Spio-Garbrah, the Middlebury University also conferred a similar honorary doctorate on former US President William Jefferson Clinton, reflecting their academic standing.
His statement follows, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) who once again struck, going after Ghana’s Presidential Envoy for Reparations, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, to provide evidence supporting his use of the academic title “Dr.”
GTEC, in a statement, demanded that Spio-Garbrah provide evidence supporting his use of the academic title “Dr.” or cease using it if he is unable to prove that it was legitimately conferred
According to GTEC, in a statement, they have noted that Ekwow Spio-Garbrah references himself as “Amb. Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah”.
In a statement issued on Monday, July 27, 2026, GTEC stated, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission wishes to formally express its concern regarding the use of academic titles that have not been duly earned or conferred through a recognised academic process.
“The use of such titles—particularly when lacking formal academic validation—can be misleading and is inconsistent with established academic protocols and standards governing the conferment and use of academic ranks in Ghana,” it said.
“The Commission hereby requests that you provide the following documentation: Clarification regarding the use of the title “Dr.”, specifically: the name of the awarding institution, whether the doctoral degree is earned or honorary, the date it was conferred, and the process through which it was conferred”, the statement said.
“The Commission expects your full cooperation in addressing this matter and looks forward to your prompt compliance by July 31, 2026”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, in 2025, the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) backed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission’s (GTEC ) efforts to regulate the growing development of individuals flaunting honorary doctorate degrees and fraudulent academic certificates.
According to UTAG, Academic titles must be earned, not purchased.
UTAG, in a press release, expressed concern about the abuse and misrepresentation of such titles.
UTAG’s statement stated, “Academic titles must be earned, not purchased, and their use must reflect the high standards of scholarship and service they represent”.
“UTAG fully supports the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) in its efforts to regulate, monitor, and, where necessary, sanction individuals and organisations involved in the proliferation and misuse of fake academic titles,” the statement added.
@ghnow_ Ghanaian media personality and lawyer, Serwaa Amihere, Esq., spotted at the DOVVSU Court as Nana Akua arrives to file complaints against her husband #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – sarkodie_lyrics
@ghnow_ The suspect in the murder case of Circle phone dealer Nana Yaw, popularly known as Terry/Dinero, has arrived at the Teshie District Court for a hearing. #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
