By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
Political Strategist and Lawyer, Kwame Owusu Danso Esq., has expressed concern over the country’s overemphasis on academic credentials rather than the capabilities of individuals.
According to him, this has resulted in many walking around with PhD titles yet being unqualified for the roles given to them due to ignorance.
“As a nation, we place too much importance on academic credentials rather than the capabilities of people. So many people are walking around with PhDs yet know nothing,” he stated.
Speaking on the GBC program Current Agenda on Saturday, October 11, 2025, he commended the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) for revoking the University of Cape Coast’s postgraduate Customs programme accreditation. According to the lawyer, this move is a step in the right direction toward sanitizing the academic space and ensuring that institutions adhere to standards.
His comments come on the back of GTEC’s recent revocation of the University of Cape Coast’s postgraduate Customs programme accreditation, which was reportedly due to non-compliance with standards. The Commission’s actions aim to ensure that tertiary education institutions in Ghana meet the required standards and produce graduates who are well-equipped to contribute to the country’s development.
The affected courses are the Master of Science (MSc) and the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Customs Administration.
The decisive action was communicated in a letter from GTEC’s Director-General, Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, dated October 6, 2025.
Lawyer Owusu Danso believes that GTEC’s actions will help restore the value of academic qualifications and encourage students to pursue knowledge rather than just certificates.
He also suggested that individuals seeking PhDs should be willing to work hard to earn their degrees. He praised GTEC for taking decisive action and expressed hope that this would serve as a deterrent to institutions that compromise on standards.
