The Shame of Fake PhDs - Why Intellectual Dishonesty Has No Place in Public Service

It is not just wrong. It is criminal. And it is deeply disturbing that people in Ghana today can walk around with fake PhDs and still be given important government jobs. They sit in offices paid for by the taxpayer. They make decisions that affect real lives. They are trusted with national responsibilities. Yet, their qualifications are lies.

Let’s stop pretending this is a small matter. It is not. This is a serious insult to every Ghanaian who works hard for their education. A PhD is not a necklace you buy at a market. It is not something you print at a roadside café. It takes years of research, writing, rejection, corrections, and sacrifice. People lose sleep, lose time with family, and sometimes even lose themselves in the process of earning it.

So, what gives someone the boldness to fake one?

Where are their publications?
Which university supervised their thesis?
Where are the journals or conferences where they presented their work?

Who examined their research?
What problem did their PhD solve?
Which field of knowledge did they contribute to?

There is always silence when these questions are asked. Because the truth is, there is nothing behind the title but paper, lies, and pride.

Using a fake PhD is fraud. It is theft. It is pretending to be something you are not. If someone forged a certificate to become a doctor and started treating patients, we would call the police. Why is it any different when someone forges a degree and starts handling national issues?

And yet, here we are. In this current NDC administration, we have seen people with fake PhDs being appointed into public office. There have been names. There has been evidence. And what happened? Nothing. No one was removed. No one was prosecuted. No one was asked to step down.

Why is this normal?
Why is there no public apology?
Why do we watch in silence when our dignity is being trampled?

What message are we sending to students, teachers, and genuine scholars?

This is not just about titles. It is about truth. It is about trust. If someone can lie about their education, what else can they lie about? If they faked a PhD to get into office, what will they fake to stay in power? If they cheated the system once, what stops them from doing it again?

People in public office must be held to the highest standard. If we cannot trust their words, how can we trust their decisions? If they lied to get the job, do they even deserve to be called leaders?

There are thousands of qualified Ghanaians who worked honestly for their degrees. Some are unemployed. Some are struggling. Some have never been given a chance. But here we are, watching fraudsters sit in comfortable chairs because they know the right people or belong to the right party.

Is this the Ghana we want?
We say education is the key to success. But when lies get you farther than learning, what do we tell the next generation?

This is not about NDC or NPP. It is about Ghana. If we allow this to continue, we destroy the value of education. We encourage cheating. We tell the youth that truth does not matter. And when truth dies in a country, everything else falls apart.

We need action. Not statements. Not silence. If you lied about your degree, you should step down. You should be investigated. You should face the law. And no party should defend such a person. If the law is weak, it should be changed.

Why are our institutions quiet?
Why are our intellectuals not speaking up?
Why are we clapping for fraud because it wears a suit and speaks good English?

A fake degree is a lie. And a liar has no business leading a nation.

Let us stop making excuses. Let us demand better. Let us protect the meaning of hard work and learning. If we do not take this seriously, it will become normal. And one day, we will wake up in a country where truth means nothing.

We must not allow that day to come.
Let every fake PhD be exposed. Let every dishonest leader be removed. Let every honest Ghanaian rise and say, enough is enough.

Ghana is worth more than this.
By Victor Raul Puobabangna Plance from Eggu in the Upper West Region of Ghana

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