GTEC orders COA Herbal Centre's Ato Duncan to stop using 'Professor' title

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has issued a stern warning to Samuel Ato Duncan, CEO of COA Herbal Centre, demanding he immediately cease using the academic title "Professor" after failing to provide proof of his credentials. 

The regulatory body's latest letter dated July 17, 2025 follows an initial June 3 directive that went unheeded, despite Duncan's recent appointment as Board Chairman of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) where he continues using the disputed title.

In a correspondence seen by GraphicOnline, GTEC Director-General Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai stated: "Unless and until you provide verifiable evidence of having been awarded a PhD (or equivalent terminal degree) and of having been duly promoted to the academic rank of Associate Professor or Professor by a recognized tertiary institution, you are not authorized to use the titles 'Dr.' or 'Professor' in any personal or official capacity."

The Commission clarified that even if Duncan received an honorary professorship, academic conventions prohibit using such titles as prefixes in professional engagements. GTEC cited Section 8(4)(d) of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) which empowers it to regulate higher education titles including "Professor" and "Doctor."

Notably, the matter has been escalated to the Ministry of Health for enforcement action. "This matter has been communicated to the Ministry of Health, through its Chief Director, for the necessary enforcement action," the letter revealed, underscoring GTEC's commitment to upholding academic integrity.

The herbal entrepreneur had previously been instructed to remove the "Professor" designation from all platforms including "official documents, institutional profiles, websites, letterheads" but allegedly failed to comply.