ACCRA, JANUARY 23, 2026 – The Governance, Accountability and Transparency Forum (GATF) has issued a blistering press release calling for the immediate removal of Dr. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai from his position at the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC). The forum alleges that Dr. Abdulai does not meet the academic requirements to hold the rank of Professor or lead the nation’s tertiary regulatory body.The GATF’s challenge rests on two primary pillars: the classification of his doctoral degree and a forensic critique of his dissertation’s methodology.The Degree Controversy: EdD vs. PhDAt the heart of the dispute is the distinction between a Professional Doctorate (EdD) and a Research Doctorate (PhD). According to West Virginia University (WVU), where Dr. Abdulai obtained his degree, the two programs serve distinct purposes:
- PhD (Research Doctorate): Designed to prepare independent researchers through the creation of new theories and original scholarship. It requires three publishable journal articles.
- EdD (Professional Doctorate): Aimed at practitioners and organizational leaders. It focuses on applying existing knowledge to solve practice-based problems rather than generating new theory.
The GATF argues that under GTEC’s own standards, the rank of Professor is reserved for those with research-intensive backgrounds. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, the forum notes that while a PhD operates at the “Create” level (producing knowledge), Dr. Abdulai’s EdD operates primarily at the “Apply” and “Analyze” levels.
Allegations of “Statistically Flawed” Research
Beyond the degree title, the GATF has released a technical audit of Dr. Abdulai’s dissertation, claiming it lacks the scholarly rigor required for doctoral-level qualification. The report cites several “fatal” flaws: - Methodological Errors: The study allegedly treated Likert-scale data (subjective rankings) as interval data without justification, rendering the resulting means and standard deviations statistically invalid.
- Small Sample Sizes: One critical group in the study consisted of only eight individuals, which the GATF claims violates the minimum thresholds for robust statistical analysis (ANOVA).
- Interpretive Overreach: The dissertation is accused of drawing broad policy recommendations from weak, descriptive data that cannot support causal claims.
- P-Value Misconduct: The report alleges “statistical misconduct” regarding the rounding and interpretation of p-values to justify findings.
Non-Negotiable Demands
The GATF, supported by members of the University of Ghana’s UTAG branch, has issued the following demands to the Ministry of Education and the President: - Immediate Suspension: Dr. Abdulai should be removed from regulatory authority pending an independent review.
- Title Withdrawal: He must cease using the title of “Professor” immediately.
- Independent Audit: An international panel of statisticians and senior professors should be convened to review the integrity of his dissertation and his promotion process.
- National Reform: Establishment of clear guidelines that prevent holders of professional (non-research) doctorates from supervising PhD students or holding high-level research appointments.
“A regulator that does not understand the difference between research and professional doctorates cannot credibly safeguard the quality of tertiary education in Ghana.” — GATF Statement
A Call for Accountability
The GATF maintains that this intervention is not a personal “witch-hunt” but a necessary defense of Ghana’s academic standards. The forum warns that if decisive action is not taken by the state, further documentary evidence and institutional records will be released to international regulatory bodies.
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Source: The Governance, Accountability and Transparency Forum (GATF
