By Aaron Hammond 
So, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) is not playing around anymore when it comes to the “Dr.” title. Their latest target is none other than Ghana’s Presidential Envoy for Reparations, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah. The Commission has officially told him to show proof of his doctorate or stop using the title completely.
In a letter sent on July 27, 2026, and copied to the Chief of Staff, GTEC made it clear that they’ve noticed him frequently using “Amb. Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.” Now, they want the receipts. GTEC is asking for the name of the school that gave him the degree, whether it was actually earned or just an honorary one, and the date it was awarded.
Basically, GTEC is saying that using an unearned academic title is misleading to the public. They’ve given him a strict deadline of July 31, 2026, to bring the required documents. If he can’t prove it, he has to drop the “Dr.” immediately. Not just in conversation, but everywhere—websites, letterheads, institutional profiles, you name it. They even want evidence that he has removed it.
This whole thing is part of a bigger cleanup campaign GTEC started in 2024. They’ve been trying to stop people in the public eye from throwing around unearned or honorary titles for clout. At first, they were doing this quietly, sending private letters, but now? They’ve moved on to naming and shaming. It looks like the days of just calling yourself a doctor because it sounds good are officially over.
We will see if Mr. Spio-Garbrah produces the documents or quietly updates his letterheads. Either way, GTEC is sending a strong message: you better have the books to back up the title!
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