A member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, Lord Paul Boateng has expressed dismay over the viral internet statement that a Dutch passport holds more value than a PhD in Ghana, saying it is deeply troubling.

A Ghanaian living in the Netherlands, Kofi Gabs, sparked a social media frenzy with his controversial statement that a Dutch passport, which he holds as a toilet cleaner holds more practical value than a PhD from Ghana.

The controversy began with a viral video in which Gabs shared his personal experience of easily obtaining a US visa due to his Dutch citizenship, contrasting it to the perceived difficulties of travelling with a Ghanaian passport.

His remarks sparked extensive debate on social media, focusing on the comparison between a Ghanaian PhD and a Dutch passport.

Speaking at a lecture at the University of Professional Studies in Accra on the theme ', Mr Boateng emphasised that a Ghanaian PhD should never be disparaged.

He asserted that such claims are untrue and, if they were true, should not be so.

“If it is so, it must not be so. We cannot allow it to continue to be so. Leadership: that must be at the heart of our response,”he noted.

He pointed out that while the World Bank and IMF were withdrawing investments from higher education in Africa, Asian economies were simultaneously increasing their investments in higher education.

“Is it any surprise that Malaysia overtook Ghana in terms of its GDP?”

Mr Boateng further highlighted that Malaysia was once supported by Nigeria's first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, with palm seedlings and technicians.

He noted that however, today, Malaysia surpasses Nigeria in palm oil production.

“That is the reality. All the result of bad policy, poor governance and it must be said; a failure of leadership”.

Lord Paul Boateng is a globally renowned diplomat, lawyer, and politician with extensive experience in government and public service.

He made history as the first person of African descent to serve in a British cabinet when he was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 2002, later becoming Minister of State for Police and Prisons.