GTEC Declares Kenneth Ashigbey’s Doctorate Invalid, Orders Removal of “Dr.” Title

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has ordered the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, to immediately cease using the academic title “Dr.” after ruling that his doctoral qualification from the Swiss Management Centre (SMC) is invalid.

This directive was announced in an official statement released on Friday, October 10, 2025, and signed by GTEC’s Director General, Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai. The Commission’s decision follows an investigation into a petition that questioned the legitimacy of Mr Ashigbey’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree.

According to GTEC, preliminary checks confirmed that Mr Ashigbey had indeed obtained a DBA from the Swiss Management Centre. Upon request, he submitted copies of his certificate and transcripts to the Commission for review. However, discrepancies were discovered during the verification process.

Notably, while the certificate bore the name “Swiss Management Centre (SMC),” the transcript was issued under “Swiss Management Centre (SMC) University.” As of October 10, 2025, GTEC’s own checks on the institution’s website showed the official name to be “Swiss Management Centre,” raising questions about the authenticity and consistency of the documents.

The Commission also flagged concerns over the length of the programme. The transcript indicated an enrolment date of February 10, 2010, and a graduation date of December 30, 2019 — a nine-year duration, which GTEC described as “unusual” for a DBA programme.

“In view of the above, and in accordance with Section 7(i) of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) — which mandates the Commission as the sole state authority to evaluate and authenticate both local and foreign qualifications — the GTEC deems your Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) certificate from the Swiss Management Centre (SMC) invalid,” the statement read.

As a result, Mr Ashigbey has been instructed to remove the “Dr.” title from all official and professional documents, including institutional profiles, websites, social media platforms, digital communications, and letterheads. GTEC has requested verifiable proof of compliance with this directive.

While a full-scale assessment of the matter is still ongoing, the Commission emphasised that this action is part of its broader mandate to uphold academic integrity and ensure that only legitimate qualifications are recognised in Ghana.