The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has with immediate effect withdrawn its recognition of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), citing the continued use of an unaccredited doctoral title by the Institute’s Chief Executive Officer, Eric Oduro Osae.

In a letter dated 8 January 2026 and signed by GTEC’s Director-General, Prof Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the Commission instructed ICAG to cease operating as a recognised institution, stating that all certificates issued by the Institute from that date would no longer be considered valid.

The decision follows what GTEC described as a serious breach of quality assurance protocols, after a recent media profile claimed that Oduro Osae held a Doctorate in Political Economy, despite prior directives from the Commission instructing him to discontinue the use of the academic title “Dr.”

GTEC further noted that, in a letter dated 13 October 2025, it had 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 not recognised under Ghana’s tertiary education framework.

The Commission stated that its investigations uncovered numerous inconsistencies and anomalies in the academic records submitted, including missing credit hours, unclear grading systems, unverifiable course classifications, and ambiguity regarding the connection between SMC and UCN in conferring the degrees.

It further noted that it could not reconcile conflicting claims that Oduro Osae held doctoral qualifications from the University of London, SMC, and UCN, emphasising that no verifiable documentation was provided to support any of these assertions.

“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.