The Public Services Commission (PSC) has failed to produce copies of promotion letters from the office of the president confirming the promotion of four officers of the Forestry Commission to directorship positions.

The failure of the commission to produce copies of the letter follows a Right to Information (RTi) request by Joy News' journalist, Edwin Kofi Siaw.

The journalist on January 14, 2025, put in a request for a copy of the promotion letter from the former president, Nana Akufo-Addo, in favour of Mr Yaw Attuahene Nyarko, one of four managers who was promoted to the position of a Director of the Forestry Commission.

After 14 days of filing the request, the commission refused to grant it.

The request was to assist the journalist in looking into controversies about the promotion of the four officers allegedly in breach of the constitution of Ghana.

Subsequently, the journalist filed an appeal to the Head of the Commission on January, 31, 2025 in line with section 31 of the RTI Act 989 which states that: " Except as otherwise provided in this Act, a person aggrieved by a decision of the information officer of a public institution may submit an application for internal review of that decision to the head of the public institution.”

However, the journalist received a response from the commission on March 3, 2025, even though it was without a copy of the promotion letter.

A letter signed by the Secretary to the commission, ING (Mrs) Mabel Amoako-Atta, responding to his request, admitted that it is the president who authorises the promotion of Public officers by signing an advice paper that has already been approved and signed by the Governing Board/Council of the respective institution.

The letter concluded that the promotion of Mr Yaw Attuahene Nyarko to the position of a Director of Resource Management Support Centre (RMSC) of the Forestry Commission was authorised by the president on November 21, 2024, after which the commission proceeded to issue his promotion letter.

However, the commission failed to support its claim with the said letters in contention.

Joy News reported of growing tension and uncertainty at the Forestry Commission after the controversial promotion of some four officers allegedly in breach of the Constitution of Ghana.

Joy News’ sources say these officers were promoted to the rank of directors by the Public Services Commission (PSC) without prior approval from the then President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The promotion, according to sources, was allegedly rushed through when it sidestepped all due process to effect the promotions.

The affected officers are: Carl Ahadze - Manager Compliance,
Christian Fumey-Nassah - Manager, Stakeholder and Ecotourism.
Yaw Kwakye - Operations Manager, Natural Forest and
Yaw Atuahene Nyarko - Production Manager, Resource Management Support Center (RMSC).

Article 195 of the constitution states that "Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the power to appoint persons to hold or to act in an office in the public services shall vest in the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the governing council of the service concerned given in consultation with the Public Services Commission".

The journalist as part of his next line of action will be seeking to invoke the jurisdiction of the High Court to compel the Public Services Commission to act, as stated in section 65 of the RTI Act 989.