The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has withdrawn its recognition of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) with immediate effect, citing the continued use of an unearned doctoral title by the Institute’s Chief Executive Officer, Eric Oduro Osae.
In a letter dated January 8, 2026, and signed by the Director-General of GTEC, Prof Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the Commission directed ICAG to cease operations as a recognised institution, declaring that all certificates issued by the Institute from that date would be considered unrecognised.
The decision follows what GTEC described as a serious breach of quality assurance protocols after a recent media profile of Oduro Osae stated that he held a Doctorate in Political Economy, despite earlier directives from the Commission instructing him to stop using the academic title “Dr.”
GTEC noted that it had previously, in a letter dated October 13, 2025, investigated Oduro Osae’s academic credentials and found that the doctoral certificates he submitted from the Swiss Management Centre (SMC) and Universidad Central de Nicaragua (UCN) were invalid and unrecognised under Ghana’s tertiary education framework.
According to the Commission, its investigations revealed multiple inconsistencies and anomalies in the academic records provided, including the absence of credit hours, unclear grading structures, unverifiable course classifications, and uncertainty surrounding the relationship between SMC and UCN in awarding the degrees.
The Commission further stated that it was unable to reconcile conflicting claims that Oduro Osae held doctoral qualifications from the University of London, SMC, and UCN, noting that no verifiable documentation was provided to substantiate any of the claims.
“As a result of these unresolved discrepancies, the certificates from Swiss Management Centre and Universidad Central de Nicaragua are hereby declared invalid,” the October 2025 letter said, directing Oduro Osae to immediately cease using the title “Dr.” in all professional and public representations.
Despite this directive, GTEC said it recently became aware of a publication profiling Oduro Osae in connection with his appointment as ICAG’s Chief Executive Officer, in which he was described as holding a Doctorate in Political Economy.
“The inclusion of this information is considered misleading and adversely affects the credibility and integrity of the institution you currently head,” the January 8 letter stated.
GTEC indicated that its decision to withdraw recognition of ICAG was reversible, provided appropriate corrective measures were taken by Oduro Osae and the Institute to address the breach. It also directed its Director of Corporate Affairs to list ICAG among unrecognised institutions for public information.
The development comes just days after ICAG announced Mr Oduro Osae’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 5, 2026.
In a statement to members, the Institute described him as a seasoned chartered accountant, lawyer, and governance expert, stating that he holds a Doctorate in Political Economy, alongside other academic and professional qualifications.
Prove your doctorate or drop ‘Dr’ title — GTEC tells Eric Oduro Osae
