The Management of St. Andrews Group of Schools & Companies has strongly defended its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Richard Kofi Asiedu, following what it described as a premature and damaging release by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

In a statement issued in Accra, the Group said it was “shocked and disappointed” by GTEC’s public notice regarding Dr. Asiedu’s academic titles, stressing that he has never faked any degree and has always complied with regulatory instructions.

According to Management, GTEC first contacted Dr. Asiedu by phone while he was in Japan to request that he provide his academic documents.

Dr. Asiedu assured them he would comply and initially set 15th September 2025 as the date.

However, some of his documents were in the custody of his former spouse, and the court had to order their release.

When the court did not sit as expected, he promptly communicated the delay to GTEC.

The Group says GTEC has not issued any official written directive to Dr. Asiedu, adding that the first time he became aware of further action was through media reports.

Management insists this raises questions about GTEC’s conduct and gives reason to believe the Commission may be used for mischief or to serve political interests.

The Group stressed that when GTEC previously directed Dr. Asiedu to drop the honorary title Professor, he immediately complied and has since only used the title Doctor, which reflects his earned academic qualification.

Outlining his academic journey, the Group noted that Dr. Asiedu pursued a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Purchasing and Supply Management at Takoradi Polytechnic (now Takoradi Technical University) from 1997 to 2000 after his GCE A-Level; a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) between 2002 and 2005; a Master’s degree at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in 2009; and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Atlantic International University, Hawaii, USA, between 2009 and 2012.

“His doctorate is purely academic, with all relevant documents, including transcripts, available.

Dr. Asiedu has nothing to hide. 

All his academic qualifications and honorary awards can be independently verified with the institutions that conferred them,” the statement emphasised.

The Group also pointed to his international recognition, including the conferment of an honorary title of Professor in Human Development by the Alfred Nobel University in Ukraine in February 2022 — a ceremony to which Dr. Asiedu invited John Dramani Mahama, then-presidential candidate of the NDC and now President of the Republic of Ghana, who delegated Prof. Joshua Alabi to represent him — and an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree in Human Resource Management from Azteca University, Mexico, in October 2023.

Management explained that Dr. Asiedu is expected to receive the last of his documents on Tuesday, 23rd September 2025, following the court’s direction for their release, and will submit them to GTEC on Thursday, 25th September 2025, in the company of his lawyers.

The Group described the release of GTEC’s directive into the public space as “unfair, unnecessary, and damaging,” urged political actors not to exploit the matter for partisan purposes, and called on the media to demand transparency and due process from regulatory bodies.

“Dr. Asiedu remains a law-abiding citizen who has always acted in good faith and respected regulatory authority.

It is, therefore, deeply worrying that his reputation is being undermined despite his cooperation,” the statement concluded.