GTEC Dismisses Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s Claim to Professor Title

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has refuted claims by Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah that she holds the academic rank of professor, cautioning her to desist from using the title.

In a letter to the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, GTEC said it had requested Dr. Ayensu-Danquah to provide proof of her professorial appointment by August 11, 2025.

Her legal team, led by David K. Ametefe, responded on August 8, stating that she had been appointed an Assistant Professor of Surgery by the University of Utah in the United States. They further argued that GTEC had no authority to demand evidence of a foreign appointment.

However, GTEC explained that the documents provided contained inconsistencies. A letter from the University of Utah, signed by Prof. W. Bradford Rockwell, Vice Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Surgery, confirmed that Dr. Ayensu-Danquah was appointed as an Adjunct Assistant Professor—not Assistant Professor as claimed by her solicitors.

The Commission stressed that omitting the term “Adjunct” was misleading, noting that an Adjunct Assistant Professor is a non-tenure track position which, under Ghana’s academic system, equates to a part-time lecturer rather than a senior lecturer or professor.

“Based on the above, the Commission concludes that Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah does not hold the title of Professor in any capacity,” GTEC said.

It has since urged her employers to ensure she stops presenting herself as a professor and warned that further misrepresentation could lead to legal action for public deception.