The Office of Head of Local Government Services (OHLGS) has issued a directive relieving New Juaben Municipal Assembly’s Assistant Internal Auditor from duty, after confirming that he forged a document required in his promotion interview.

The interdiction was disclosed in a letter dated March 30, 2021, written and signed by the OHLGS’ Chief Director, James Oppong-Mensah.

The letter was written on behalf of the Head of Service and addressed to Ahmed Abdul-Aziz, the interdicted office holder.

In the letter, it was indicated that Mr. Abdul-Aziz ostensibly presented a certificate awarded by University of Cape Coast (UCC) as part of a requirement for his promotion interview from Assistant Internal Auditor to the grade of Internal Auditor in the Local Government Services.

But the OHLGS said the certificate presented by the Assistant Internal Auditor at the interview was forged.

The letter read: “The University of Cape Coast has confirmed that you have never enrolled on any of their programmes neither have they awarded you, Ahmed Abdul-Aziz any of their certificates, that you falsified the certificate for your promotion interview.”

The OHLGS considering the action of Mr. Abdul-Aziz a “gross misconduct and a breach of principles of professionalism, honesty and integrity in the Code of Conduct of the Service,” authorised his interdiction with immediate effect.

According to the OHLGS, the interdicted officer holder will be subjected to a disciplinary investigation to be conducted by Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council for purposes of establishing the veracity of his conduct.

Report on the investigation is expected to be ready and submitted to the OHLGS by April 15, 2021.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abdul-Aziz has been directed to handover all official documents and equipment in his possession, if any, to New Juaben Municipal Co-ordinating Director before proceeding on the interdiction.