RE: GTEC demands proof of academic title from Heritage Christian University 'Professor'
Following the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission's (GTEC) formal challenge of Williams Abayaawien Atuilik of Heritage Christian University in Amasaman, Accra, to provide evidence supporting his use of the title "Professor" or cease using it immediately, Williams Abayaawien Atuilik has responded.
In a letter, GTEC had expressed concerns over Atuilik's continued use of the professorial designation, stating it may lack proper academic accreditation. The Commission warned that such unverified titles undermine Ghana's higher education integrity.
"The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has taken note of your continued use of the academic title 'Professor,' specifically referring to yourself as Prof. Williams Abayaawien Atuilik," the notice read.
Related article: RE: GTEC demands proof of academic title from Heritage Christian University "Professor"
Attached below is a full copy of the response
My attention was drawn to a publication circulated on social media on 19th June, 2025 that I had been directed by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to provide evidence of my appointment as a professor or stop using the title.
I saw this publication before I received a letter from GTEC to that effect.
Prior to the circulated publication and the subsequent receipt of the letter from GTEC, I had previously NOT received any letter, phone call or any form of communication from the GTEC on the subject matter.
I responded to GTEC’s letter providing them with copies of my appointment as Visiting Associate Professor of Accounting in the College of Business Administration at Abilene Christian University, and subsequently as Visiting Associate Professor of Accounting and Finance in the School of Business at Lubbock Christian University, which were the basis for my use of the title.
These appointments were not honorary, as they were preceded by assessments of my publications, teaching experience and evidence of community service.
My curriculum vitae, profiles in all official documents, information about me on websites of institutions that I am affiliated with, letterheads bearing information about me, and other public or professional representations about me, as at the time of the publication, referenced the fact of my appointment as Visiting Associate Professor by the above-mentioned universities.
GTEC responded to my reply and suggested that persons appointed as Visiting Associate Professors cannot take and use the title “Professor” and that I should stop using the title “Professor” without a clear reference to the regulatory framework relied on except to draw my attention to section 8(4) (d) of the Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) which gives authority to
GTEC under its accreditation functions to: “regulate the use of higher education nomenclature and titles including "University", "College", "Emeritus", "Professor", "Doctor", "Chartered", and related terms.
No reference has been made to regulations, notices, circulars or guidelines passed by Parliament or issued by GTEC that guide the implementation of the above stated regulatory authority.
Until the above publication and subsequent letters, I received from GTEC, I had not been and am still not aware of any law or regulation; notice, circular or any formal communication issued by GTEC or any other person with authority to regulate the use of academic titles, prohibiting a person appointed as Visiting Associate Professor by an accredited university from
using the title Professor.
I consider the directive by GTEC as not following due process of law and therefore an abuse of regulatory and administrative authority, contrary to article 296 of the 1992 Constitution which states that:
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"Where in this Constitution or in any other law discretionary power is vested in any person or authority, that discretionary power shall be deemed to imply a duty to be fair and candid;
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the exercise of the discretionary power shall not be arbitrary, capricious or biased either by resentment, prejudice or personal dislike and shall be in accordance with due process of law; and
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where the person or authority is not a Justice of a Superior Court or other judge or judicial officer, there shall be published by constitutional instrument or statutory instrument, regulations that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution or that other law to govern the exercise of that discretionary power."
I consider the directive also to be contrary to Article 19(11) of the 1992
Constitution which provides that:
“No person shall be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence is defined and the penalty for it is prescribed in a written law”.
I am happy, however, to indicate that I have since received appointment as Associate Professor of Accounting and Finance from Heritage Christian University.
For more information about my academic and professional pursuits and publications, you may visit my:
- ORCID account at: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2739-5003
- Google scholar account at: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Nq_5UXIAAAAJ&hl=en
- The faculty page of Heritage Christian University at: https://hcu.edu.gh/faculty-members-dept-of-graduate-studies/#williams-abayaawien-atuilik
or
https://hcu.edu.gh/department-of-accounting-and-finance
I wish to thank all my well-wishers for your support and humbly request that you remember me in prayers as I attempt to serve God and humanity and take steps to become a better person. Thank you and God bless you. God is Supreme and is in control!!!
Sincerely,
Prof. Williams Abayaawien Atuilik
