Ghana’s Embassy in the United States has expressed profound disappointment following Lincoln University’s decision to withdraw the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree, honoris causa, on President John Dramani Mahama.
The university had initially recognised “his outstanding contributions to public service, democratic governance, peaceful international and inter-African relationships, and global advocacy for justice, equality, and education” as the basis for inviting him to receive the honour.
The decision, communicated just hours before the scheduled visit on Thursday, March 26, reportedly stems from concerns raised by a group within the university regarding President Mahama’s perceived position on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely referred to as the anti-gay Bill currently before Parliament.
Lincoln University had earlier announced its intention to confer an honorary doctorate on President Mahama for his global leadership and service to reparative justice. However, it later stated that “due to unforeseen circumstances, the University is cancelling the visit of John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26.”
The initial communication had noted: “Lincoln University is proud to announce that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and the African Union’s Champion for Advancing the Cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations, will receive an honorary doctorate from the University on March 26, 2026.
“This is in recognition of his outstanding contributions to public service, democratic governance, peaceful international and inter-African relationships, and global advocacy for justice, equality, and education.
“The honorary conferral event will highlight the shared mission of Lincoln University and President Mahama to broaden access to education, champion social justice, and inspire servant leadership across national borders.”
“Lincoln University is deeply honoured to welcome President John Dramani Mahama to our campus and to bestow upon him an honorary degree in recognition of his distinguished leadership,” said the university’s president, Dr Brenda A. Allen.
“His visit is especially meaningful as we celebrate the enduring global legacy of our alumnus Kwame Nkrumah ’39, whose vision for Ghana’s independence helped shape modern Africa.”
However, Ghana’s Embassy in the United States argued that the concerns were not raised during Lincoln University’s earlier due diligence and vetting processes, despite extensive prior engagement between the university and the Ghanaian mission.
Officials from both sides had conducted a full walkthrough just last week and finalised all logistical and programme arrangements for the visit.
“It is both surprising and regrettable that such concerns have surfaced at this late stage, particularly with the President already in the United States in anticipation of the visit,” the Embassy said in a statement.
The Embassy emphasised that President Mahama’s visit was accepted in good faith following an official invitation from an institution with deep historical ties to Ghana, including its association with Kwame Nkrumah.
While acknowledging Lincoln University’s right to engage internal stakeholders and uphold its values, the Embassy expressed concern that the issues raised relate to ongoing legislative processes in Ghana, which are subject to democratic debate and do not reflect the unilateral position of any individual.
President Mahama has consistently been recognised for leadership grounded in democratic principles, respect for human rights, and inclusive dialogue on complex societal issues.
The Embassy described the development as unfortunate, as these concerns emerged at such an advanced stage without prior engagement or clarification. It reaffirmed its commitment to constructive dialogue and mutual respect, expressing hope that the historic relationship between Ghana and Lincoln University will guide a balanced resolution to the matter.
The university had earlier stated that President Mahama’s presence “affirms the powerful and historic connection between our institution and the Republic of Ghana and inspires our students to see themselves as part of a global community of changemakers.”
“Prior to his visit to Lincoln University, President Mahama will address the United Nations General Assembly, where he will present a landmark resolution seeking global recognition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime against humanity.
“The resolution, first introduced before the African Union and the United Nations in 2025, has been described by African leaders as a major step in the global campaign for reparatory justice.”
Associate Professor Gnaka Lagoke, Chair of the Pan-African Studies Department, said: “Lincoln University’s doctorate conferral on President Mahama is a powerful symbol.
“He carries the Kwame Nkrumah mandate. Lincoln University is Kwame Nkrumah’s alma mater. It is happening at a pivotal moment in President Mahama’s advocacy work on the international stage, and when the campaign for reparations, of which he is the standard-bearer, is at its culminating point. Once again, Lincoln University is making history.”
President Mahama considers the combination of history, communications and social psychology courses he studied for his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to have profoundly shaped his understanding of the human condition and contributed significantly to his personal development.
“Under President Mahama’s first administration, Ghana witnessed significant infrastructure development across all sectors of the economy, including education, health, ports and harbours, aviation, rail, oil and gas, ICT, among others. His vision and strategic investments in these areas positioned the country as a lower-middle-income nation for its next development phase.
“Beyond investments in socio-economic infrastructure, President Mahama is passionate about investing in people. This reflects his commitment to social justice and equity, particularly through efforts to advance the interests of girls and women across all spheres. Notably, Ghana attained gender parity in basic education under his leadership.
“President Mahama further demonstrated his commitment to women’s empowerment by appointing several women to prominent roles in his administration.
“In 2020, he nominated Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as his vice-presidential candidate, marking a first for a major political party in Ghana. He repeated this choice in 2024, and with their victory, Ghana welcomed its first female Vice-President.
“With his victory in the December 2024 elections, John Dramani Mahama became the first president in Ghana’s history to be democratically elected to a non-consecutive second term.
“Just one year after his re-election, President John Dramani Mahama is credited with helping to stabilise the Ghanaian economy.”
In recognition of his contributions, President Mahama has received several honorary doctoral degrees from institutions worldwide, including Ekiti State University, the University of Ilorin and Igbinedion University in Nigeria; the University of Aberdeen in Scotland; Lyon Business School in France; and Yonsei University in South Korea.
As part of activities aligned with his visit, Lincoln University’s Black Freedom Conference was to host a film screening and discussion on The Eyes of Ghana on Wednesday, March 25.
Executive produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, the Breakwater Studios documentary follows 93-year-old Christian Tsui Hesse, personal cinematographer to Kwame Nkrumah, during the 1950s–60s liberation movement.
The conferral event was not open to the public, and media representatives were required to request accreditation in advance.
In a formal statement, Ghana’s Embassy in the United States reiterated: “The Embassy of the Republic of Ghana in the United States wishes to express its profound disappointment regarding a last-minute communication received from Lincoln University concerning the scheduled visit of the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
“The visit, which includes the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree, honoris causa, had been agreed upon following extensive prior engagement between the University and the Embassy. Indeed, only last week, officials of the Embassy, together with representatives of Lincoln University, conducted a full walkthrough and finalised all logistical and programmatic arrangements ahead of the President’s visit.
“It is therefore both surprising and regrettable that the Embassy has received a communication from the University indicating that concerns had been raised regarding President Mahama’s perceived position on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, currently before Parliament.
“The University has indicated that these concerns did not surface during its earlier due diligence and vetting processes prior to extending the invitation.
“All preparations for the visit had been duly completed, reflecting a shared commitment to the success of this important engagement.
“The timing of this development is deeply concerning, particularly as it arises after all arrangements have been concluded and with the President already in the United States, having arrived in New York in anticipation of honouring the University’s invitation.
“While the Embassy acknowledges Lincoln University’s right to engage its internal stakeholders and uphold its institutional values, we note with concern that the issues now being raised relate to ongoing legislative processes within Ghana, which are subject to democratic deliberation and are not the unilateral position of any one individual.
“President Mahama has consistently demonstrated leadership grounded in democratic principles, respect for human rights, and inclusive dialogue on complex societal issues.
“The Embassy remains committed to constructive dialogue and mutual respect and trusts that the longstanding relationship between Ghana and Lincoln University will guide a thoughtful and balanced resolution of this matter.”
