A deepening controversy has engulfed the Energy Commission, following mounting staff agitation over the continued tenure of its Acting Executive Secretary, Mrs Eunice A. Biritwum, amid allegations that she is unlawfully drawing salary and allowances despite having reached the mandatory retirement age.
Staff of the Commission are demanding the immediate termination of Mrs Biritwum’s appointment, accusing her of flouting public service regulations, disregarding decisions of the governing Board, and exhibiting what they describe as overt political bias in favour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Reports circulating internally among staff raise serious questions about Madam Biritwum’s eligibility to remain in office.
According to the staff, she reached the compulsory retirement age of 60 on 17 October 2025 but has neither been granted a formal contract extension nor reappointed in any capacity to legitimise her continued presence as Acting Executive Secretary.
Despite this, staff allege that Mrs Biritwum continues to exercise the full powers of the office while drawing what they describe as an “illegal salary and allowances” concurrently with a pension. They argue that the situation constitutes a clear breach of public service regulations and exposes the institution to reputational and audit risks.
The concerns do not end there. They further allege that Madam Biritwum has authorised the procurement of new official vehicles for her personal use, despite, in the view of staff, being technically out of office. There are claims that the Commission had good vehicles in use by the immediate past CEO, Ing. Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, prior to the recent purchases. Madam Biritwum previously used these vehicles for official duties, but has decided to purchase new ones.
Critics say this decision is not only questionable but also emblematic of a culture of impunity and weak governance oversight at the Commission.
Staff have also raised concerns about Madam Biritwum’s past professional and political associations, which they claim undermine confidence in her neutrality. They point to her previous roles as a member of the Energy Commission’s technical committee and as Chief Executive Officer of CENIT Energy, a subsidiary of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), during the tenure of the previous NPP administration.
According to critics, these affiliations, when viewed alongside her continued stay in office beyond retirement age, create the perception of political protection and raise troubling questions about fairness, accountability and institutional independence.
“The principle is simple: retirees must go,” one staff statement declared, insisting that Madam Biritwum should vacate the position in strict compliance with public service rules governing retirement and post-retirement contracts.
Sources within the Commission indicate that the governing Board, chaired by Prof John Gartchie Gati of the University of Cape Coast, has, on at least three occasions, formally drawn Madam Biritwum’s attention to unresolved issues regarding her legitimacy in office, outstanding audit concerns, and the absence of any approved contract extension.
Despite these interventions, staff say no decisive action has been taken, fuelling frustration and deepening mistrust within the institution.
The matter has now been escalated beyond the Commission. Staff have formally petitioned both the Energy Commission Board and the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, calling for urgent intervention to restore order, enforce regulatory compliance, and safeguard the integrity of the public service.
They argue that failure to act decisively risks setting a dangerous precedent in which retirement rules can be ignored with impunity, eroding public confidence in governance and accountability across state institutions.
As pressure mounts, the controversy is fast becoming a test case for the government’s stated commitment to transparency, the rule of law, and ethical leadership in public-sector appointments.
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