The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has ordered the immediate closure of Nyarkotey University College of Holistic Medicine and Technology for operating without accreditation and offering unauthorised academic programmes.

The enforcement directive, issued on Friday, August 1, follows the arrest of the college’s founder, Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, alongside the institution’s registrar and director.

The arrests were carried out in a joint operation by GTEC and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

According to GTEC, the institution had been illegally running a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) degree in Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine, with several unauthorised specialisations — a clear violation of Ghana’s tertiary education laws.

GTEC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Jerry Sarfo, stated that the university must cease all activities, including student admissions and advertising, until it obtains formal accreditation.

“We have instructed the institution to shut down immediately and submit proof of compliance by August 8,” Sarfo said.

“They must suspend all operations and remove all promotional materials.

If they wish to operate legitimately, they must begin the accreditation process without delay.”

Additionally, GTEC has barred Raphael Nyarkotey Obu from using the academic title “Professor,” citing a lack of credible evidence supporting the designation.

The commission has further directed him to publicly retract the title.

“There is no substantiated academic basis for Mr. Nyarkotey’s use of the title ‘Professor,’” Sarfo explained. “He has been instructed to cease using it and to issue a public disclaimer.”

GTEC has demanded the submission of all academic records and documentation related to the institution’s operations by August 8.

Failure to comply, the Commission warns, could lead to further legal action.