Hassan Ayariga, founder of the All People’s Congress (APC), has strongly defended his academic qualifications amid scrutiny from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
In a passionate rebuttal, Ayariga accused the Commission of lacking professionalism and described its leadership as unfit to bear academic titles.
The dispute began after inconsistencies emerged regarding Ayariga’s stated academic qualifications during different interviews.
GTEC, in its earlier media engagements, explained that its concerns stemmed from Ayariga’s conflicting accounts – claiming in one instance to hold a PhD in business management with a thesis in political science, and in another, a PhD in political science with a thesis in political tolerance.
In response, Ayariga clarified, “I hold a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a PhD in Political Science.” He explained that his earlier statements were misinterpreted due to the interview context and categorically denied any false claims about his PhD.
“When I was asked in my first interview, I thought he was asking me about my masters, that’s why I said it was in business administration.
“No, I don’t have a PhD there. I’ve never said I have a PhD in business management to anybody. I’ve never said that”
Hassan Ayariga, Founder of APC
Expanding on the content of his PhD thesis, Ayariga noted that it was centered on political violence and tolerance. He revealed that his research drew heavily from Ghana’s 2012 general election and his personal political experience from that period to the time of completing his PhD.
“What is wrong with that?” he asked, questioning what the drama was about.
Critique of GTEC
Ayariga did not reserve his criticisms for the institution alone but launched a personal attack on its leadership, specifically Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, Director-General of GTEC.
He condemned the manner in which GTEC handled the situation.
“Institutions like GTEC should get a full constitutional mandate before embarking on certain exercises. Number two, they should be professional in their dealings with people”
Hassan Ayariga, Founder of APC
“Is that how a professor behaves?” He asked, further accusing Professor Abdulai of lacking the decorum expected of someone bearing the title of professor. “If this is how professors behave then his professor title is fake. His professor title lacks common sense.”
Ayariga took issue with how the Commission allegedly publicized a letter, about the issue of his use of the title “Dr.”, meant for him before he received it. “What kind of professor does that?”
He ridiculed the authority of GTEC’s head, remarking, “He sits in a small office there and he thinks that he can just be talking anyhow.”
Concluding his remarks, Ayariga indicated that he had more pressing matters to focus on than what he called a back-and-forth with the Commission. He urged the Commission to act in a manner that does not seek to just ridicule people without first observing due process.
The academic credentials row between Hassan Ayariga and GTEC underscores growing concerns about verification and accountability in public discourse.
However, it also raises questions about procedural ethics and institutional conduct in Ghana’s regulatory framework.
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