Ghana To Name, Shame Those Who Publicly Use Honorary Doctorate Titles

By Adesina Soyooye

In Ghana, the public use of Honorary Doctorate Degrees and  Professorship titles has been officially barred.

For one to use such titles, according to a statement  from Ghana’s Tertiary  Education Commission, GTEC, one has to earn it by going through academic rigours.

In a  statement, GTEC said it would not only name and shame those who flout the order, it would take legal action.

The statement signed by Professor Augustine Ocloo, Acting Deputy Director General, GTEC, noted that that the fraudulent use of the titles is common among  politicians, clerics and businesses persons. Such use, it pointed out, makes a mockery of the higher education system, and dilutes the integrity and value of true doctoral education and promotion  of the professorial system in the universities. Such habit, it pointed out, is at once deceitful and unethical.

“This notice goes especially to politicians, business men and business women, men and women of God, and any other category of persons to desist from officially using the Honorary and Professorship titles in their everyday life”, the statement  warned.

A Doctorate degree (PhD) is the highest degree awarded by Universities when an individual has completed his/her studies, as well as dissertation. Professorship is the topmost academic rank in the University which individuals obtain based on scholarly works and achievements.

In Nigeria, the use of Honorary Doctorate degrees and professorship titles has been so abused by every Tom, Dick and Harry, including wealthy stark illiterates that those who earned the titles through  scholarly works are ashamed to use them.