The attention of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service (OHCS) has been drawn to a publication by the Daily Graphic dated August 21, 2025 (Page 13), and its online platform, Graphic Online, under the headline: “PAC Sitting: Civil Service Head Cited for Infractions – Ordered to Refund GH¢175,000”.
The OHCS finds the headline and accompanying story to be a misrepresentation of the facts.
This publication is not only inaccurate but also potentially damaging to the reputation of the Head of the Civil Service.
We wish to clarify the matter as follows
1. Misattribution of Responsibility
At no point did the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) cite the Head of the Civil Service for any financial infractions.
The directive to refund GH¢175,000.00 was specifically issued to the Government Secretarial School (GSS), one of the training institutions under the Civil Service.
The headline of the publication is therefore misleading and risks portraying the Head of the Civil Service in an unfair and negative light.
2. Role of the Head of the Civil Service
The Head of the Civil Service provides oversight and leadership across the Civil Service.
While ministries and departments report administratively to the OHCS, each institution operates with its own management team, which bears direct responsibility for financial management and accountability, in line with the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA). The PFMA outlines clear guidelines for fiscal responsibility and institutional accountability.
3. Clarification on the Institution Cited
The entity cited for the infraction, due to delays in providing supporting documentation, was the Government Secretarial School (GSS) not the Civil Service Training Centre (CSTC) as incorrectly stated in the publication. In fact, CSTC was not invited to appear before the committee. The Ghana Civil Service operates three main training institutions:
• Civil Service Training Centre (CSTC)
• Government Secretarial School (GSS)
•Institute of Technical Supervision (ITS)
4. Institutional Accountability
The institutions that appeared before the PAC include:
• Government Secretarial School
•Institute of Technical Supervision
•Management Services Department
• Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD)
Each of these institutions has its own management team.
Therefore, unless such matters are formally reported to the OHCS, the Head of the Civil Service may not have prior knowledge of internal financial or administrative issues.
5. Commitment to Transparency and Media Collaboration
The OHCS remains committed to transparency, good governance, and accountability.
We value the role of the media in informing the public and welcome continued collaboration to ensure that reporting on matters related to the Civil Service is accurate, fair, and balanced.
We respectfully urge the media to crosscheck facts thoroughly to avoid the publication of misleading information, especially where reputations and institutional credibility are at stake.
Issued by the Public Relations Unit,
Office of The Head Of The Civil Service
Accra, Ghana.
