Dr. Richard Kofi Asiedu, Central Regional Chairman of Ghana’s opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has ceased using the title “Professor” after receiving a formal caution from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), which cited a lack of qualifying academic credentials.
In a public statement dated August 1, Dr. Asiedu said he was complying fully with the directive, adding: “As a law-abiding citizen, I have duly obliged the notice by GTEC and have accordingly ceased using the title of professor.”
The move follows a letter from GTEC, dated July 28, 2024, warning Dr. Asiedu that his use of the academic title violated Section 8(4)(d) of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), which restricts the use of such titles to individuals with the requisite academic achievements. GTEC had previously written to Dr. Asiedu on June 2, 2025, instructing him to drop the title and provide proof of its removal from public communications, as well as documentation supporting his academic credentials.
Dr. Asiedu clarified that the title had been honorary in nature, conferred upon him by Alfred Nobel University in Ukraine for his work in human development. He said he had used it over the past three years without knowledge that doing so contravened Ghanaian education regulations.
“I did not know that honorary titles could not be used until this prompting by GTEC,” he said, adding that he has since reverted to his earned academic qualification: a PhD awarded in 2012 following original research.
Dr. Asiedu called on the public to take note of the update and refer to him accordingly moving forward.
