Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has been awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Museum and Heritage Studies by the University of Ghana, marking another academic milestone in his public service career.
Dr. Debrah received the doctorate during the University of Ghana School of Graduate Studies congregation held at the Great Hall on Saturday, July 25, 2026.
President John Dramani Mahama attended the ceremony as the special guest for the graduation of PhD candidates.
Congratulating his Chief of Staff, President Mahama praised Dr. Debrah for successfully completing the demanding programme while serving in one of the country’s highest public offices.
“I’m especially delighted to see my Chief of Staff among today’s graduating class, and I congratulate him together with every member of this distinguished cohort,” the President said.
Reflecting on Dr. Debrah’s academic journey, President Mahama revealed that during the 2024 election campaign, his Chief of Staff often excused himself from campaign activities to meet his academic supervisor or conduct field research for his doctoral studies.
“We used to be on the campaign trail together, and he would run away and leave us and say, ‘Oh, I have to meet my supervisor,’” the President recalled.
He also recounted an incident during one of Dr. Debrah’s archaeological field trips in Northern Ghana, where local chiefs and residents mistakenly believed the research team was engaged in illegal mining.
“They were digging somewhere in Nakpanduri, and suddenly the chiefs and the villagers came out and confronted them. They thought they were doing galamsey,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.
President Mahama described the achievement as a testament to dedication, perseverance and the value of lifelong learning.
“His achievement is a powerful reminder that learning is a lifelong pursuit and that public service and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive. They are indeed mutually reinforcing,” he stated.
In a light-hearted remark, the President joked that Dr. Debrah’s new academic credentials might make future discussions more demanding.
“I suspect he may now begin reminding me that every argument requires stronger evidence and that every quotation deserves a proper citation. I shall therefore have to be very much more careful in future,” he said.
President Mahama also admitted that witnessing the graduation briefly inspired him to consider pursuing a PhD himself.
“Looking around this distinguished gathering, I briefly entertained the thought of returning to pursue my own PhD. But memories of supervisors, endless revisions and the viva voce examinations quickly brought me back to reality,” he remarked.
The President reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening higher education, research and innovation, stressing that education remains central to Ghana’s national development agenda.
“Our responsibility as government is to create an environment in which talent can flourish. We will continue investing in higher education, research, innovation and digital infrastructure so that every Ghanaian with the ability and determination to pursue advanced learning will have the opportunity to do so,” he said.
He added that sustained investment in education was essential to enhancing Ghana’s competitiveness, prosperity and resilience.
Before his appointment as Chief of Staff, Dr. Debrah served as Minister for Local Government and Rural Development between 2014 and 2015 and as Regional Minister for both the Eastern and Greater Accra Regions from 2013 to 2014.
His doctoral achievement adds to a distinguished career in public service spanning local governance, regional administration and the Presidency.