The People’s National Party (PNP) has petitioned the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to audit the academic credentials held by officials in President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, as well as all public sector employees.
In a letter to GTEC’s Director-General, Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, PNP Chairperson Janet Nabla urged a thorough verification of various academic credentials, ranging from diplomas to doctoral degrees, with a specific focus on qualifications obtained from foreign universities.
The party raised alarms about what it sees as an alarming rise in fraudulent academic documents within public institutions and stressed that such practices jeopardise the integrity of Ghana’s education system and diminish public confidence in governance.
“The widespread use of fake certificates not only undermines the integrity of our educational system but also erodes public trust in governance and the credibility of our institutions,” the letter stated.
To promote transparency, the PNP is advocating for GTEC to create a secure, centralised database that makes verified academic qualifications from accredited institutions in Ghana readily accessible to the public.
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The party believes this initiative would empower both public and private employers to validate credentials before making hiring or appointment decisions.
As part of a proposed funding model, the party is recommending the introduction of a “GTEC Monitoring and Evaluation Fee”, a mandatory levy to be paid by all tertiary-level students to sustain nationwide assessment and verification efforts.
“A country that fails to scrutinise the educational background of its leaders and workforce is bound to face persistent economic and governance challenges. Individuals who resort to fake certifications demonstrate a lack of integrity, and no nation can develop on the foundation of deceit,” the statement added.
This appeal from the PNP coincides with recent correspondence from GTEC to several government officials and public figures, advising them to refrain from using the titles “Dr” or “Prof” due to a lack of verified academic proof.
Some of these individuals include individuals such as Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC); Dr. Joseph Obeng, President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA); and Desmond De-Graft Paitoo, the Member of Parliament for Gomoa East.
