Use of Dr and Prof title: GTEC must stop the unlawful act – Dr Asilevi
Prof. Augustine Ocloo
GTEC must stop the unlawful act – Dr Asilevi
Dr. Collins Eli Asilevi (MLSD, BSc, LLB, MPH, Cert CGL)
Dr. Collins Eli Asilevi has raised serious concerns over a letter issued by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and signed by its Deputy Director-General, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, on August 8, 2025. The letter, which sought to clarify who is entitled to use the title Doctor in Ghana, has been described as arbitrary, unlawful, and inconsistent with both the 1992 Constitution and GTEC’s statutory mandate.
In the said correspondence, Prof. Ocloo stated that only PhD holders and certain professional undergraduate doctorates—namely the Doctor of Medicine (DM), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), and Doctor of Dentistry (DD)—are entitled to the designation Doctor. While acknowledging that regulating academic titles is important, Dr. Asilevi insists that such regulation must be guided strictly by law, established precedents, and fairness, not personal sentiment or selective recognition.
Constitutional Concerns
According to Dr. Asilevi, the letter disregards key constitutional provisions:
● Article 23 of the 1992 Constitution requires administrative bodies and officials to act fairly and reasonably within the limits of the law.
● Article 296 mandates that discretionary powers be exercised without arbitrariness, capriciousness, or bias.
By recognizing certain doctorates while excluding others that GTEC itself has accredited, the Deputy Director-General’s directive violates these constitutional safeguards.
Selective and Biased Omission
The letter notably omitted professional doctorates such as the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS.D), Doctor of Optometry (O.D.), and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)—all accredited in Ghana and recognized internationally. Instead, it highlighted a Doctor of Medicine (DM) programme, which does not exist in Ghana’s academic nomenclature.
Dr. Asilevi described this omission as biased and in bad faith, suggesting that it reflects personal motives. He criticized Prof. Ocloo, a biochemist by background, for attempting to delegitimize other professions under the guise of clarification, calling it an abuse of office.
Professional Titles Beyond GTEC’s Mandate
Dr. Asilevi emphasized that professional titles are not within GTEC’s remit to regulate. Academic titles, such as PhD, fall under university and accreditation oversight, whereas statutory regulatory councils, including the Medical and Dental Council, the Pharmacy Council, and the Allied Health Professions Council, confer professional titles.
GTEC’s lawful role, he noted, is to accredit programmes and collaborate with these councils—not to redefine who qualifies to be addressed as Doctor.
Precedents Ignored
He further pointed to a September 25, 2018, notice published in the Daily Graphic by the former National Accreditation Board (NAB) and National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), which recognized all professional doctorates—including MBChB, Pharm.D., MLS.D., and O.D.—as equal.
Additionally, Section 39 of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) ensures that all valid notices and regulations issued by NAB remain in effect unless formally revoked—something that has not occurred
A Call to Action
Dr. Asilevi has, therefore, called on GTEC to:
● Withdraw the letter signed by Prof. Ocloo.
● Issue a public apology to holders of professional doctorates omitted in the directive.
● Ensure safeguards against abuse of office within the Commission.
He urged professionals affected by the directive not to be discouraged, stressing that their service to Ghana remains invaluable.
“Professional doctors must continue to serve with dedication, excellence, and medical expertise, and not allow a void and baseless letter to distract them from their noble duty,” he concluded.
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
