GES Silent on Officials Behind Recruitment Scandal; Appointment Letters Released to ‘Middlemen’

Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has remained silent on the alleged involvement of some of its officials in the release of confidential appointment letters to middlemen, who demanded as much as GH¢18,000 from successful applicants in the ongoing recruitment exercise.

The development comes after THE ARCHIVES exposed the extortion scheme, leading to renewed scrutiny over how official appointment letters issued by the GES headquarters found their way into the hands of persons who are not employees of the Service.

Although the GES has confirmed the arrest and arraignment of two suspects in connection with the scheme, management has yet to publicly account for the internal source through which the appointment letters were obtained.

Sources told THE ARCHIVES that some GES officials whose actions or access may have facilitated the leakage of the documents are still at post, raising questions about whether an internal investigation has been launched to identify those behind the scandal.

It is alleged that, the matter could have been handled quietly had THE ARCHIVES not brought the issue to public attention through its last Friday’s publication.

The two suspects, were arrested by personnel of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service at Teshie-Nungua in Accra on August 21, 2026, after demanding substantial sums of money from successful applicants before releasing their appointment letters.

According to a statement issued by the GES on Friday, August 28, four suspects had been identified, with two arrested and arraigned before Accra Circuit Court 6, while the other two remained at large.

However, the Service did not disclose whether any of its officials had been invited, questioned, suspended or investigated over the scandal.

The vital question confronting the GES is how appointment letters issued from its headquarters and bearing the authority of the Director-General came into the possession of external agents.

‘Big Men’ at GES

THE ARCHIVES has gathered that during interrogation, the suspects claimed that the documents were handed to them by a purported “big man” at the GES headquarters.

The suspects are, however, said to have declined to identify the alleged official.

The apparent silence of GES management over the internal connection has raised concerns about why attention appears to have focused largely on the arrested middlemen without publicly addressing the source of the appointment letters.

This paper understands that GES management played little or no direct role in the arrest of the suspects, apart from the efforts of the Greater Accra Regional Director of the GES, Hajia Katumi Natogmah Attah, who is said to have largely assisted in the matter.

‘Conspirator’ Identified

Meanwhile, Joseph Akurugu, a teacher at one of the senior high schools (SHSs), has been identified as one of the suspected accomplices in the syndicate.

Sources claim that Mr Akurugu contacted successful applicants and demanded payment in exchange for their appointment letters.

His mobile phone is said to have been switched off following the arrest of the two suspects, who acted on his behalf to receive money from applicants.

The development is currently putting pressure on the GES and the security agencies to establish how the appointment letters were leaked, identify all persons involved and determine whether the alleged extortion scheme was an isolated criminal operation or part of a wider network within the recruitment process.

For now, the biggest unanswered question remains: Who at the GES released the appointment letters to the ‘Goro Boys’?