A heated exchange at Parliament’s Appointments Committee sitting on Friday, July 25, has reignited long-standing controversy surrounding the academic
A heated exchange at Parliament’s Appointments Committee sitting on Friday, July 25, has reignited long-standing controversy surrounding the academic credentials of Deputy Health Minister-designate, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah.
The nominee came under scrutiny from Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who challenged her use of the title “Professor” and raised questions about her qualifications.
Though widely regarded as a respected medical professional with global academic and public health experience, Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s vetting took a contentious turn when she declined to verify a social media post presented to her — one that allegedly referred to her as “Professor Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah.”
The Minority Leader pressed, asking directly whether the post originated from her verified social media account. In response, the nominee repeatedly declined to confirm or deny the post’s authenticity, stating, “I cannot verify from a piece of paper whether it’s a verified page or not… My Facebook account is meta-verified, and this document lacks verification.”
Despite multiple attempts by Afenyo-Markin to reframe the question — at one point simply asking if she had ever written the post —Ayensu-Danquah held her line.
She insisted there was no admissible evidence to authenticate the source of the post, adding that numerous fake pages have used her name in the past.
The Professorship Debate
The issue of her professorial status has lingered since her nomination. Critics — particularly in political circles — argue that there is insufficient public or institutional confirmation that she holds the title “Professor,” despite occasionally being referred to as such on unofficial platforms.
Unlike other faculty members at institutions where she is said to have taught, her name reportedly does not appear with a PhD title on official university websites.
While being a medical doctor and a board-certified surgeon, critics say the absence of a PhD undermines any claim to a full professorship.
In Ghana and most academic systems, a professorial title typically requires a terminal academic degree, peer-reviewed research publications, and formal conferment by an academic institution.
Supporters of Dr. Ayensu-Danquah on Social media argue that her academic and professional achievements in global surgery and public health speak for themselves, even if there is no record of her being officially conferred a professorship.
Vetting of Shadows and Sympathy
What could have been a moment of clarification became a game of procedural semantics.
Her refusal to confirm the source of the post, while legally prudent, only fueled further doubts among skeptics.
Many observers noted that the vetting session provided her a platform to publicly set the record straight — and her failure to do so raised more questions than it answered.
In a moment of reconciliation, however, Afenyo-Markin offered an apology for previous comments made before the vetting.
He had earlier referred to her nomination as “strange,” prompting backlash and a rebuke from Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin.
“If I crossed a red line, I say to you, I’m sorry,” he said during the session, adding that his remarks were not intended to demean her.
Underlying Political Tensions
Some insiders suggest the line of questioning may have been motivated by broader political undertones.
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s nomination has been compared to other National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs, like Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, who, despite strong qualifications, have not been given ministerial appointments.
This has led to speculation that internal party dynamics may have influenced both the nomination and the scrutiny it attracted.
Others on social media argue that Afenyo-Markin’s approach was an attempt to highlight inconsistencies in how merit and appointments are handled within Ghana’s political framework — especially in an election year.
Background and Credentials
Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah per credentials is a U.S.-trained surgeon with specialisation in trauma, burns, and reconstructive surgery.
She holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the University of Southern California, as well as a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
She maintains medical licenses in California, Michigan, and Maryland.
She serves as an Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah’s Centre for Global Surgery and runs a private surgical practice in Accra.
She is also the founder of the Healing Hands Organization, a non-profit that delivers free surgical care to underserved Ghanaian communities.
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah is a fellow of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons, the International College of Surgeons, and the West African College of Surgeons.
Final Take
While her professional accomplishments remain commendable, the unanswered questions about her academic titles continue to stir debate.
In Parliament, perception and presentation matter — and in politics, clarity can often be more powerful than silence.
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