By: Nana Ofori Owusu

The dispute between the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and Hon. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah over her use of the title “Professor” has stirred public debate. Her lawyer, David Ametefe, delivered a forceful defense, but when stripped of rhetoric, the facts favor GTEC.

Dr. Ayensu presented evidence of an appointment as Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah. That fact is not in dispute. But the crux of the matter lies in academic equivalence. In the American system, “Assistant Professor” is an entry-level faculty rank — the equivalent of a Lecturer in Ghana. In our Commonwealth system, the title Professor is the pinnacle of academia, reserved for those with long records of scholarship and research. To use “Professor” without qualification risks misleading the public into assuming a higher rank than is actually held.

Critics claim GTEC’s intervention is politically motivated. But this does not hold up. The Commission has consistently raised red flags against individuals using unearned or honorary professorships. Its concern is not with politics but with safeguarding academic standards from inflation.

It is true that GTEC cannot regulate degrees or titles awarded by foreign universities. But it does have a responsibility to protect the Ghanaian public from misrepresentation. That means applying universal equivalences so that foreign titles are accurately understood in our context. An Assistant Professor in Utah is not a Professor in Ghana. The distinction matters — especially when titles carry weight in public service, policy, and politics.

Lawyer Ametefe is right on jurisdictional grounds: GTEC cannot invalidate a foreign appointment. But he sidesteps the substantive truth. His client may use “Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Utah” with full legitimacy. What is misleading is shortening this to “Professor” in Ghana, where the title carries a very different meaning.

At stake is not just one person’s designation, but the credibility of our academic culture. Titles are not ornaments; they are markers of achievement. Inflating them dilutes the respect owed to those who have earned them at the highest level.

Dr. Ayensu’s achievements must be respected, hailed, and indeed celebrated. She stands as a great exemplar to women — particularly African women — and is an inspiration to many. Her academic and professional record speaks for itself. However, the title of Professor, for now, does not fit.

In this case, reality weighs heavier than rhetoric — and GTEC is on the stronger ground.