It was set up upon the recommendation of the Haragin Committee for an impartial public services body to manage human resource administration and statecraft in British West African jurisdictions - Gold Coast, Nigeria, The Gambia and Sierra Leone.
By independence in 1957, the head of state making appointments had to consult the PSC which had by then become free from Executive control.
The commission's mandate was periodically interrupted by military juntas who wanted to control the allegiance of public servants.
Article 196 of Constitution of 1992 further states, “The Public Services Commission shall have such powers and exercise such supervisory, regulatory and consultative functions as Parliament shall, by law, prescribe, including as may be applicable, the supervision and regulation of entrance and promotion examinations, recruitment, appointment into or promotions within the Public Services and the establishment of guidelines on the terms and conditions of employment in the public services.” [2] The Public Services Commission Act, 1994 (Act 482) stipulates the number of commissioners to be appointed, the PSC functions and the supporting secretariat for the institution.
As defined by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the Public Services Commission's core functions include[3]