The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has instructed the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Kenneth Ashigbey, to stop using the title “Dr.” after declaring his doctorate from the Swiss Management Centre (SMC) invalid.
The directive follows a petition that prompted GTEC to examine the authenticity of Mr. Ashigbey’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) qualification.
According to the Commission, its investigation revealed “significant inconsistencies” in the documents submitted for verification.
GTEC said Mr. Ashigbey had provided both his certificate and transcript, but the two carried different institutional names.
“While the certificate was issued by the Swiss Management Centre (SMC), the transcript bore the name Swiss Management Centre (SMC) University,” the statement noted, adding that checks on the school’s official website list it only as Swiss Management Centre.
The Commission also found the study timeline questionable, with records showing that Mr. Ashigbey enrolled in February 2010 and completed in December 2019, a nine-year stretch for a professional doctorate programme.
In a statement signed by its Director General, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, GTEC said the discrepancies and duration “raise doubts about the legitimacy of the qualification.”
It therefore ruled the certificate invalid under Section 7(i) of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023).
GTEC has directed Mr. Ashigbey to “immediately provide evidence” that he has removed the “Dr.” title from all official and professional materials, including websites, letterheads, and digital platforms.
The Commission said the decision aligns with its mandate to uphold academic credibility and protect the integrity of Ghana’s education system, adding that a comprehensive review of the case is still underway.
