Ghana’s tertiary education regulator has pushed back against legal demands from Deputy Health Minister Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, as a public dispute over her use of the academic title “Professor” intensifies.
Professor Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), on Monday rejected a two-week ultimatum issued by the minister’s legal team, which called on GTEC to retract its earlier statements questioning her academic rank.
In an interview with Joy FM, Prof. Jinapor described the legal maneuver as misguided and blamed Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s lawyers for worsening the situation. “If I’m advising her, I think the lawyers need to be fired,” he said bluntly.
The controversy centers on Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s public claim—made during a televised appearance—that she is a full professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Utah. GTEC, however, disputes that assertion, citing formal correspondence from the U.S.-based institution.
According to Prof. Jinapor, records from the University of Utah indicate that Dr. Ayensu-Danquah holds the position of adjunct assistant professor—a role significantly lower in the academic hierarchy than that of a tenured full professor. He noted that her own lawyers had earlier referred to her as an assistant professor in communications with the commission, further highlighting inconsistencies.
“Chronologically, the facts don’t add up,” Prof. Jinapor said. “We’ve seen different versions from her camp.”
GTEC had initially sought to resolve the matter quietly, offering to meet with the Deputy Minister at a time and location of her choosing. According to the commission, that effort was unsuccessful, and Dr. Ayensu-Danquah continued to use the disputed title despite not producing any formal appointment documents to substantiate her claim.
“As a matter of fact, as we speak, she has not been able to provide us with a document that points to her appointment—whether as a full professor, an assistant professor, or even an adjunct,” Prof. Jinapor said.
The Director-General emphasized that GTEC’s concern is institutional rather than personal. “This is not about targeting any individual,” he said. “It’s about protecting academic integrity.”
The distinction between academic ranks—particularly between adjunct and tenured positions—is significant in higher education circles. While adjunct professors often contribute to teaching or clinical supervision, they typically do not hold the same scholarly or administrative responsibilities as full professors.
The standoff now threatens to escalate into a wider debate about academic transparency and title misuse within Ghana’s public service.
