The transnational nature of the contemporary educational ecology has placed many national accreditation boards under an enormous pressure in executing their mandate of monitoring, supervising, and granting accreditation to academic institutions and the programs they offer. In recent times, the Ghana National Accreditation Board (NAB from now on) has come under an immense public scrutiny for what the public may have rightly perceived as its failure to perform its gatekeeping role in safeguarding the credibility of educational products sold to the Ghanaian public by some unaccredited educational institutions. Using a purposive comparative framework, we selected for interrogation cases of institutions and individuals who have come under public scrutiny for awarding and receiving academic qualifications and awards that the public considers questionable. This is to answer three pertinent questions: I. What is the accreditation status of institutions selected for analysis? II. Who are the individuals associated with these institutions? III. What are the motives of these individuals for acquiring these degrees/awards? The report indicates that some of the institutions in question are in breach of the NAB’s instrument of authority, while others have acquired NAB’s accreditation under questionable arrangements. The report further indicates that two categories of individuals are identifiable in these accreditation controversies. While one group views higher academic qualifications as career tools, the other considers these awards as status symbols for self-actualization and a seal for the legitimization of their place of honor in the public’s eye. An uncritical-propaganda-dogged media coupled with an unquestioning public continues to fuel the practice.

1. Accreditation Challenges in Transnational
Educational Ecology: The Ghanaian
Experience
Dr. Prosper Yao Tsikata & Dr. A. Kobla Dotse
Ghana Embassy, Washington, DC

2. ]
[ Story Board
• Introduction and statement of problem
• Comparative review of national accreditation
• Earned (residency and online) versus honorary degrees
• Comparative purposive sampling technique
• Analysis
• Impact and recommendations
• Discussion and conclusions

3. ]
[ Introduction and statement of problem
• Sixty-one percent unqualified tertiary professors in Ghana
• Ghana National Accreditation Board Act 2007 (Act 744)
• Continental dimension of the problem

4. The Case of South Africa
Pallo Jordan Johnny Molefe

5. The Case of South Africa
Ellen Tshabalala Mohau Pheko

6. The Case of Nigeria
Stella Odua (Prof.) David Iornem

7. ]
[Comparative Review of National Accreditation
• Accreditation in the US—the US Department of Education’s Office of
Postsecondary Education (OPE) and accreditation agencies
• Accreditation in the UK—Royal Charter, Act of Parliament, Privy
Council and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
(QAA)
• Ghana National Accreditation Board (NAB)

8. ]
[ Types of Doctoral Degrees

9. ]
[ Comparative Purposive Sampling Technique
• Institutions with questionable accreditation status
• Individuals associated with such institutions
• Institutions and individuals must be news

10. ]
[ Central Questions

11. Institutions and Persons
Atlantic International
University, Hawaii (Dr.) Hassan Ayariga
• Not accredited by the OPE
• Listed as unaccredited by the NAB
• Faced Consumer Protection law
suit as unaccredited

12. Institutions and Persons
Dayspring Christian
University & Affiliates Individuals Associated
• Discredited by NAB September 18,
2014
• (Dr.) Kwesi Appiah’s (Ghana’s
2014 World Cup Coach) landmark
precedent
• (Dr.) Sherry Ayittey
• (Dr.) Kofi Portuphy
• (Dr.) Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey
• (Dr.) Gifty Anti
• (Dr.) Bernard Otabil
• (Dr.) John Kudalor (IGP)

13. Images of Individuals
(Dr.) John Kudalor, IGP
(Dr.) Kofi Portuphy & (Dr.)
Sherry Ayittey (middle)

14. Images of Individuals
(Dr.) Abeiku Aggrey (Dr.) Bernard Otabil

15. Institutions and Persons
Almeda College/University
Aquinas Tawiah Quansah
(B.A.)
• Unaccredited by the OPE
• Boast Council for Distance Education,
Interfaith Education Ministry &
Association for Online Academic
Excellence accreditations
• Folded up

16. Institutions and Persons
American Century
University
Dzifa Aku Ativor (BS.c. &
M.A.)
• Unaccredited by the OPE
• Classified diploma mill
(Foreign Credits
International Experts, 2013)

17. Institutions and Persons
European-American
University (Dr.) Bernice Adiku Heloo
• A corporate charter granted by
Commonwealth of Dominica
• Royal Charter HM Omukama of
Bunyoro-Kitara of Uganda
• Royal Charter HRH, Chief of
Gomoa Nyanyano

18. Institutions and Persons
St. Thomas A-Bucket
University Canterbury
(Dr.) Patrick Kobla Agboba or
HRM Hon. (Dr.) Togbui Sri III
• Not listed among recognized
bodies in the UK
• A non-existent institution

19. Institutions and Persons
Swiss Management
Center (SMC) Individuals Associated
• Unaccredited by the Swiss
Accreditation Council (SAC)
• Accreditation Council for Business
Schools and Programs (ACBSP), not an
accredited agency of OPE
• ACBSP accredit programs, not
institutions
• (Prof. Dr. Dr.) Goski Alabi, UPS
• (Dr.) John Gatsi, UCC
• (Dr.) Tetteh Nettey
• And many others

20. Institutions and Persons
Rev. (Prof. Dr. Dr.) Mrs. Goski Alabi (Dr.) John Gatsi

21. Institutions and Persons
University of Dublin &
University of California
(Dr.) Theophilus Tay (aka
Theophilus Worgbale)
• University of California exist
• It is accredited
• The individual is not associated
• University of Dublin, California, is
an unaccredited diploma mill

22. Institutions and Persons
(Dr.) Samson Effah-
Apraku (Dr.) Nana Yaa Jantuah

23. ]
[ Observations
• General Observations
• Contravention of NAB Act 2007 (Act 744)
• European-American University and the Chief of Gomoa Nyanyano
• Undermining trust among educational institutions
• Conflict of interest and public risk
• Working tool versus ornamental

24. ]
[ Observations
• Uncritical-propaganda-dogged media
• Free media ecology
• Conducting a search on claimants
• Daily Graphic an accessory in perpetuating illegality

25. ]
[ Observations
• Unquestioning Public
• The Ghanaian form of interpellation
• A critical mind or a “hater?”
• The narrative of a watchman who becomes a doctor
• The deafening silence of academia

26. ]
[ Observations
• University Registrar’s Office
• University administrative hub
• Background checks and due diligence

27. Impacts and Recommendations
Impacts Recommendations
• Poor training and rippling effects
• Wages for bad work done
• The marathon race
• Rules and regulations
• Bad public sector policies
• Dissolution of NAB
• Prosecutory powers for NAB
• Educational attaché
• Initiate mentoring processes
• Wholesale background checks

28. Discussion and Conclusion
Discussion Conclusions
• Individual responsibility
• Why online degree from
Nicaragua?
• The question of double doctorate
• Excellent institutions and the law
• Variations in accreditation
• Weak accreditation system in Ghana
• Individuals and institutions take
advantage
• Wholesale and regular audit

29. ]
[ Afterword for Non-Academic Reader
• Non-academic readers go to page 16 of document for a case-by-case
examination of the institutions and individuals identified in this report.
Then, do the following:
I. Place the name of the institution into Google and find out all there is about it.
II. Place the name of the individuals listed in the report into Google and establish the
connection.
III. Draw your own conclusions and begin to have a conversation with a friend, a family member,
your employer, and just anyone close to you.