GTEC strips ICAG of recognition after CEO defies ‘Dr’ directive

The Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), Eric Oduro Osae, has triggered the immediate withdrawal of the Institute’s recognition by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) over the continued use of an unearned doctoral title.

In a letter dated January 8, 2026, and signed by GTEC Director-General Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the Commission directed ICAG to cease operations as a recognised institution, warning that all certificates issued from that date would be considered unrecognised.

The decision follows a breach of quality assurance protocols after a recent media profile described Oduro Osae as holding a Doctorate in Political Economy, despite earlier instructions from GTEC to stop using the “Dr.” title.

GTEC said its October 13, 2025, investigation found Oduro Osae’s claimed doctoral certificates from the Swiss Management Centre (SMC) and Universidad Central de Nicaragua (UCN) to be invalid under Ghana’s tertiary education framework. The Commission cited multiple discrepancies, including missing credit hours, unclear grading structures, unverifiable course classifications, and inconsistent claims regarding affiliations with the University of London, SMC, and UCN.

“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 stated, directing Oduro Osae to immediately cease using the “Dr.” title in professional and public contexts.

Despite the directive, GTEC noted that the recent publication profiling Oduro Osae in connection with his appointment as ICAG CEO included the doctoral title, which the Commission described as misleading and damaging to the credibility of the Institute.

GTEC indicated that its decision is reversible, provided that ICAG and Oduro Osae take corrective measures to address the breach. The Commission also instructed its Director of Corporate Affairs to list ICAG among unrecognised institutions for public awareness.

The development comes just days after ICAG officially announced Oduro Osae’s appointment as CEO, effective January 5, 2026. In its statement, the Institute described him as a seasoned chartered accountant, lawyer, and governance expert, claiming he holds a Doctorate in Political Economy alongside other professional qualifications.

The withdrawal of recognition has sparked concerns over ICAG’s credibility and raised questions about the vetting of academic claims for leadership positions in professional institutions.

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