Uncertainty continues to swirl around the legitimacy of a widely circulated letter announcing a purported two-year post-retirement contract for Inspector General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, with the Presidency, the Police Administration and the IGP himself maintaining conspicuous silence.

The contentious letter, dated Tuesday,  November 23, 2025, and allegedly signed by Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, claimed the appointment had been granted on the recommendation of the Police Council chaired by Vice-President Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang. But the Vice-President was reportedly out of the country at the time the document surfaced.

Since its appearance, the letter has been widely questioned, with analysts, political observers and security experts pointing to several inconsistencies suggesting it may be fake or even AI-generated.

The letter contained glaring spelling mistakes, including “Police” written as “Polce”, and bore what many described as a “cloudy and blurred” rendition of the national Coat of Arms, unlike standard presidential correspondence.

The Secretary’s signature appeared inconsistent with earlier documents, while the reference number, OPS/08/25/3756, closely resembles that used in the communication appointing Yohuno to replace Dr George Akuffo Dampare in March 2025.

To deepen the mystery, insiders say Dr Mahama has privately denied issuing any such letter. Yohuno, who is expected to turn 60 on December 27, 2025, though some officers claim he may have surpassed that age, is legally due for mandatory retirement unless granted an explicit post-retirement extension by the President, but no such confirmation has been issued.

The Presidency has remained tight-lipped. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, who personally signed Yohuno’s appointment letter on 13 March 2025, dismissing COP Dampare, has issued no statement on the matter.

Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, whose ministry oversees the Police Service, has also avoided public comment, despite his recent criticism of rising violent crime under Yohuno.

Just days earlier, at a press conference on 18 November 2025, the Minister announced that as of July 2025, Ghana had recorded 628 armed robberies and 340 murders, compared with 1,219 robberies and 552 murders in 2024.

His tone, observers noted, reflected deep concern about the direction of the Police Administration under Yohuno’s command.

The mood within the Police Headquarters has been equally tense and telling. While post-retirement extensions for IGPs usually trigger internal celebrations, officers say no such activities occurred. Some joked that the champagne and drinks brought by early well-wishers were taken home by the IGP himself after the story faced scrutiny.

Reports reaching The Herald indicate that the media blitz preceding the letter’s circulation was part of a well-organised lobbying effort that to Parliament, allegedly involving the distribution of money to selected journalists and promises of funding to secure favourable front-page placements.

Sources say the Presidency held emergency meetings soon after the letter surfaced, in a bid to determine its origin. In one such meeting attended by Yohuno himself, he was reportedly instructed to ensure the withdrawal of the questionable document.

President John Dramani Mahama is said to remain firmly opposed to post-retirement contracts for public servants a position he has reiterated in Parliament and through Dr Callistus Mahama. Any deviation from this stance, insiders say, would undermine his reputation for keeping his word on ending such extensions.

Yohuno, who previously served as Deputy IGP under Dampare during the Akufo-Addo administration, was appointed under Articles 91 and 202 of the 1992 Constitution, following consultation with the Council of State.

His appointment letter lauded his four decades in uniform and his anticipated role in modernising the service, improving public trust, and strengthening national security. Yet security analysts argue that much remains unchanged, with regional commands largely left intact from Dampare’s era and violent crime continuing its upward trajectory.

In the wake of disturbing crime statistics, the government recently launched a nationwide Gun Amnesty Programme, described by Minister Mubarak as a “bold and compassionate initiative” aimed at reducing illicit firearms and limiting violent crime.

The plan allows individuals in possession of unlicensed weapons to surrender them without prosecution. The Minister emphasised that community cooperation is key to its success, urging all citizens to support efforts to create a safer Ghana.

The Ministry has also begun moves to restrict the use of firearms during cultural festivals and will engage traditional authorities to enforce the ban.

As questions mount, neither the Presidency, the Ministry of the Interior, nor the Police Administration has clarified whether Yohuno has been granted any post-retirement contract.

The silence, many argue, is deepening public mistrust and fuelling speculation within the Police Service leaving a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the leadership of the nation’s security apparatus.

For now, both officers and citizens await an official word, as the authenticity of the controversial letter remains in doubt and the future of the IGP hangs in the balance.

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