‘No wonder you’re not fit for purpose’ — Deputy Health Minister fires back at GTEC boss over professorial title dispute

The Deputy Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has publicly taken on the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, accusing him of engaging in a politically driven attempt to undermine her academic credentials.

In a heated social media post on October 24, 2025, Dr. Ayensu-Danquah insisted that GTEC had failed to conduct due diligence before challenging her claim to the title “Professor”.

“You use fake news, misinformation and disinformation… Just bullying, conjecture, and ad hominem attacks… You are not even fit for purpose,” she wrote.

GTEC challenges her professorial status

The clash stems from a letter from GTEC directing the Deputy Minister to refrain from referring to herself as “Professor,” stating that her professorial claim is not supported by Ghana’s academic standards.

A verification exercise by the Commission found that although Dr. Ayensu-Danquah served at the University of Utah’s School of Medicine in the United States, her role there was as an Adjunct Assistant Professor — a non–tenure-track and part-time appointment.

GTEC argues that such positions are classified in Ghana as equivalent to a lecturer and not a full professor, cautioning that continued use of the title could attract legal consequences for “public deception.”

GTEC boss himself under scrutiny

The dispute has taken a dramatic twist, as the Director-General leading the charge against the Deputy Minister is now also facing questions about his own academic qualifications.

A Right to Information (RTI) petition filed by a citizen, Kwame Simpe Ofori, has asked GTEC’s Governing Board to provide evidence of Prof. Jinapor Abdulai’s credentials. Copies of the petition have been submitted to the Minister of Education, the Public Services Commission, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).

To address public concerns, GTEC issued a statement reaffirming Prof. Abdulai’s academic credibility, listing his qualifications as:

• BA (First Class Honours) in Philosophy & Religions — University of Ghana (1998–2001)
• MA in International Affairs — Ohio University, USA (2003–2005)
• Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction — West Virginia University, USA (2005–2009)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education — UEW (2016–2017)

The Commission further emphasized that all supporting academic records have been submitted for internal review.

Political undercurrents deepen academic tension

The heated public exchanges have fueled speculation about political rivalry and personal scores, especially as both individuals hold high-level positions in the education and health sectors.

For now, Ghana’s academic regulatory authority maintains its stance, while the Deputy Minister vows to defend what she describes as her “stellar academic credentials.”

As the controversy continues to gain traction, Ghanaians are watching closely for outcomes from both the GTEC investigation and the RTI petition.