Drop honorary titles or get suspended – Assemblies of God to Members

The Assemblies of God Church in Ghana has instructed its clergy to stop attaching honorary doctorate titles to their names during official and public functions or risk suspension.

The directive, which was communicated to ministers in a circular issued on July 11, stems from a resolution passed by the church’s Executive Presbytery at its May 2024 meeting.

The leadership noted that the decision was consistent with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission’s (GTEC) regulations on the recognition of academic qualifications.

According to the instruction, pastors who have been conferred honorary doctorates, whether by accredited or unaccredited institutions, are prohibited from styling themselves as “Dr.”.

In addition, ministers with legitimate academic degrees, such as bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD qualifications, have been advised to submit their certificates to GTEC for authentication before they can be formally recognized.

The Assemblies of God further cautioned that ministers who defy the directive or breach GTEC’s requirements will face disciplinary action, including suspension from office.

To set an example, the church cited its General Superintendent, Rev. Stephen Wengam, who last year announced that although he had received an honorary doctorate, he no longer uses the “Dr.” title. Leaders encouraged other pastors to follow his lead to safeguard transparency in ministry.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of GTEC’s heightened enforcement drive against the misuse of academic titles. The most recent case involves Deputy Health Minister and Essikado-Ketan MP, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, who has been cautioned by the Commission over her use of the title “Professor.”

In a letter to the Chief of Staff, GTEC demanded that she present documentary evidence of her professorial appointment by August 11, 2025. Her lawyers, led by David K. Ametefe, replied on August 8, insisting that she was duly appointed Assistant Professor of Surgery by the University of Utah in the United States. They argued that GTEC had no authority to question foreign appointments and dismissed the Commission’s action as unjustified.

The legal team also warned that if GTEC fails to withdraw its letter within 14 days, they would seek redress in court through certiorari, mandamus, and declaratory relief to defend their client’s reputation.