Interest in honorary titles in Ghana appears to be declining following enforcement measures by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), the Commission’s Director General, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor, has said.
The decline follows a crackdown on individuals who used unearned academic titles in official settings or to sign public documents.
The initiative, which included outreach and verification exercises, aimed to “sanitize” the practice and prevent misleading use of honorary degrees.
Speaking before Parliament’s Assurances Committee on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Prof. Jinapor said stricter enforcement has helped curb the misuse of honorary titles.
“This business of name and shame is informed by having conversations with people. We have also been writing to them. When we talk to them, and they agree and recuse themselves, it doesn’t come to the public domain. When we write to them, and they provide evidence, it also doesn’t enter the public domain,” he said.
He added that confusion arises when honorary doctorates are presented in a way that appears academic.
“When people are given an honorary doctorate, and they use it in a manner that looks as if the person got it academically, then it becomes misleading. If you are given an honorary doctorate and I see you and I call you by your honorary title, but you don’t sign to it, then there is no problem,” Prof. Jinapor explained.
According to the Commission, data from recent exercises suggest a notable drop in honorary degree uptake.
“This year, only UMAT awarded an honorary doctorate degree to Ibrahim Mahama. Previously, almost every university was awarding honorary doctorates again because people could not use them.
“Those who have earned it academically can use it, but those who are not academically qualified should not pursue it,” he added.
