The Presidential Special Envoy for Reparations, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has responded to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) over concerns regarding his use of the honorific title "Dr".

In a letter addressed to the Director-General of GTEC, Prof Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, Spio-Garbrah clarified that his "Dr" title was awarded to him honoris causa by Middlebury College in Vermont, United States, in 2002.

According to him, he had not routinely used the title immediately after its conferment.

He explained that it was only after his successful interview and appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) based in London in 2003 that the Board of the international organisation directed him to use the honorific title in his official and professional communications.

"I have the highest respect for those who have undertaken the demanding academic journey required to earn doctoral degrees through rigorous study, research, examination and dissertation. The norm for 'PhD' holders is to write the PhD after their names. I have never written a PhD after my name," he stated.

Spio-Garbrah stressed that he does not hold an academically earned PhD and has never intended to represent himself as holding one.

"What I do hold is an honorary doctorate formally conferred upon me by Middlebury University at a duly convened academic congregation in May 2002. Documentary evidence of that conferment, including photographs from the ceremony, is attached," he added.

He further noted that the same University conferred a similar honorary doctorate the following year on former US President William Jefferson Clinton, reflecting the academic standing and respectability of the institution.

Spio-Garbrah indicated that he has attached full facts and documentary evidence to clarify the issue which has entered the public domain.