The People’s National Party (PNP) has submitted a formal request to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), urging it to conduct a comprehensive audit of academic qualifications held by appointees in President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, as well as all public sector employees.
In a petition addressed to GTEC Director-General, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, PNP Chairperson Janet Nabla emphasized the need for rigorous verification of all academic credentials—ranging from diplomas to doctoral degrees—with special attention to qualifications obtained from foreign institutions.
The party expressed alarm over what it described as an increasing incidence of fake certificates in public service, warning that the practice poses a serious threat to the integrity of Ghana’s educational system and undermines public confidence in leadership and institutions.
“The proliferation of fraudulent academic qualifications not only weakens our education system but also erodes trust in governance,” the petition stated.
To promote transparency and accountability, the PNP proposed the creation of a centralized, secure, and publicly accessible database of verified academic credentials issued by accredited institutions in Ghana. Such a system, the party believes, would help employers verify the authenticity of qualifications before hiring or appointing individuals.
The PNP also recommended introducing a “GTEC Monitoring and Evaluation Fee”—a compulsory charge for all tertiary students—to fund ongoing national verification and monitoring efforts.
The party stressed that failure to verify the academic backgrounds of public officials and workers could perpetuate governance and economic challenges. “Those who rely on fake certificates lack the moral integrity needed for national development,” the statement noted.
The petition follows a recent crackdown by GTEC on unverified academic titles. In recent months, GTEC has directed several public figures, including Rashid Tanko-Computer (CEO of GIFEC), Dr. Joseph Obeng (President of GUTA), and Desmond De-Graft Paitoo (MP for Gomoa East), to cease using unvalidated titles such as “Dr.” or “Prof.”
