The Member of Parliament for Essikadu-Ketan, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has pushed back against a warning from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) cautioning her against presenting herself as a professor.
GTEC in a statement clarified that Dr. Ayensu-Danquah does not hold the title of professor, contrary to public claims. The Commission explained that a review of documents from her legal team showed she had been appointed Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah.
However, a subsequent letter from the university indicated she served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor—a part-time, non-tenure track position, which under Ghana’s academic system is equivalent to a lecturer, not a professor.
According to GTEC, omitting the term “Adjunct” from her designation was misleading, and they stressed that “the title of professor is not held by Dr. Ayensu-Danquah in any capacity.” The Commission had earlier asked her to provide proof of professorial appointment by August 11, 2025.
Reacting in an interview on CTV, Dr. Ayensu-Danquah accused her critics of trying to undermine her reputation.
“My question is, as a state regulator, are we going to settle the matter on social media? Should we be talking about the matter on social media? As a regulator, shouldn’t you be going through due process?” she asked.
“So, what I see is just an attempt to discredit the hard work I have done… I’m still trying to figure it out. So, I want Honourable Jinapor to bring his CV for us to compare,” she added.
The lawmaker further insisted that she legitimately earned her professorial status, citing her work abroad.
“I earned my professor of surgery title long ago. I have a campus in Utah, where I head the global surgery department. But I prefer to be here to help my people; that is why I’m here, that is why I’m not in the classroom every day.”
