The University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG) has formally called for the resignation of the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, and his Deputy, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, to resign honourably by January 31, 2026.
According to the association, recent developments within the tertiary education sector have raised serious concerns about leadership, accountability, and the direction of higher education regulation in the country.
In a statement released by UTAG-UG, the association noted what it describes as persistent lapses in GTEC’s handling of policy implementation and stakeholder engagement.
The group argued that these shortcomings have contributed to confusion among universities, threatened academic quality, and weakened confidence in the national regulatory framework.
UTAG-UG cited several issues, including delays in approval processes, concerns about transparency, and what they refer to as administrative inconsistencies that have affected teaching and learning across public universities.
The association emphasised that the current situation has placed undue strain on academic staff and institutions striving to maintain standards.
In a statement released on Monday, January 19, 2026, UTAG accused GTEC of neglecting its statutory duties and focusing on what it called “tangential and sometimes frivolous actions,” such as chasing individuals with alleged fake degrees while overlooking major structural problems in public tertiary education.
UTAG outlined several long-standing challenges—including limited budgetary support, poor infrastructure, and inadequate lecturer remuneration—which it says have contributed to declining standards in public universities.
The association argued that GTEC has remained indifferent to these issues, despite their threat to the sustainability of tertiary education.
Raising concerns about GTEC’s effectiveness, UTAG questioned: “What is the expected student-to-teacher ratio in our institutions, and what is the current ratio? What infrastructure requirements does GTEC prescribe, and how do current facilities measure up? What mechanisms are in place to ensure these standards are met?”
The association further criticised the commission’s leadership, saying it has blurred the distinction between its advisory and regulatory functions.
UTAG alleged that under Prof. Jinapor and Ocloo, governing councils of public tertiary institutions have been weakened, vice-chancellors reduced to “toothless bulldogs,” and legitimate council decisions overturned without clear legal justification.
UTAG also noted that the government’s failure to approve new staff recruitment for the past three years has increased lecturer workloads, harmed staff welfare, and lowered teaching quality.
Additionally, it argued that rigid procurement procedures continue to frustrate teaching and research, while GTEC has failed to champion the interests of public tertiary institutions.
