The actions and inaction of some public officials at the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), have cost the country over GHc 250 million.<\/p>\n
This was captured in the 2014 Auditor General\u2019s report.<\/p>\n
One common irregularity which run through the books of all the MDAs, is the unlawful payment of salaries to some separated staff.<\/p>\n
According to the report, Ghana lost over GHc11 million in payroll irregularities mainly involving payments of unearned salaries to separated individuals.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”QuWK0G2Ek4sZe0XgLe7P9msjcDM2TjKt”]Most of the MDAs according to the report, paid the unearned salaries to some individuals over the period in which their accounts were audited.<\/p>\n
Agric Ministry <\/strong><\/p>\n For instance, at the Ministry of Agriculture, the report revealed that 15 different staff from various management units were paid an amount of GHc117, 874.<\/p>\n \u201cFifteen (15) separated staff from various Management Units under the Ministry of Agriculture continued to appear on GoG mechanised payroll for periods ranging between one (1) and twenty six(26) months. As at the time of writing this report, total of GH\u00a2117,874.99 had been paid as unearned salaries to separated staff,\u201d the report added.<\/p>\n 126 unqualified GYEEDA beneficiaries paid<\/strong><\/p>\n The report further disclosed that, under the former\u00a0GYEEDA programme (now YEA), 126 unqualified staff were employed under the agency and an amount of GHc895,536 was paid to them over a period between November 2012 and December 2013.<\/p>\n \u201cContrary to GYEEDA\u2019s restructuring and migration guidelines approved by Cabinet for the recruitment of programme staff who have successfully passed interviews for placement as public servants, we found that 126 staff who could not successfully pass the interview were migrated as employees of GYEEDA and were paid a total amount of GH\u00a2895,536.18 as salaries between November 2012 to December 2013. The DNC Human Resource and DNC Finance and Administration and the Internal Auditor should be sanctioned appropriately. We found that although staff at GYEEDA have been migrated onto a new salary scheme as public servants, management prepared its own salary vouchers and paid a total of GH\u00a24,424,800.86 as arrears and salaries for November and December 2013 without approval of the payment system by the Controller and Accountant-General Ministry of Interior Twenty two (22) separated staff from various Management Units under the Ministry of Interior continued to appear on GoG mechanised payroll during the period under review and were paid unearned salary of GH\u00a274,129.58.\u201d<\/p>\n Wrongful ex-gratia payment to ex Korle-Bu staff\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The report also indicted that the board and management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for wrongfully paying a retired package of approximately GHc93,000 to its former Chief Administrator, Professor N.O. Nartey.<\/p>\n “We noted that the former Chief Administrator of the\u00a0hospital, Prof. N. O. Nartey, was wrongfully paid a retirement\u00a0package of GH\u00a292,667.20 on 23 December 2013, after five years\u00a0service.”<\/p>\n Official vehicles not returned<\/strong><\/p>\n The Auditor General\u2019s report again noted that, there were instances where some six public officers including former ministers failed to hand over their official vehicles as they left office.<\/p>\n The Auditor General is \u00a0thus urging the management to retrieve the vehicles from the officers as soon as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cWe noted that six (6) separated officers including former ministers failed to hand over their official vehicles when leaving office. \u00a0We urged management to retrieve the vehicles from the unauthorised users without further delay.\u201d<\/p>\n MOH cited for wrongfully procuring condoms<\/strong><\/p>\n The Ministry of Health was also indicted for spending an amount close to $539,827.20to procure condoms which did not go through the right processes.<\/p>\n The report stated that \u201cthe Ministry failed to submit its recommendations to the Central Tender Review Board (CTRB) for concurrent approval on the awards of two (2) contracts for the procurement of condoms costing $539,827.20.\u201d<\/p>\n It further \u201cadvised management to obtain retrospective approval from the CTRB and to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement Act [PPA].\u201d<\/p>\n Also\u00a0in the health sector, the report said the Ghana Health Service single-sourced 300 refurbished adjustable hospital beds, orthopedic mattresses and bedsidelockers costing GH\u00a2750,000.00 from Associated Medical Engineering Company Ltd without approval of the PPA, and urged management to fully comply with the provision of the PPA<\/p>\n Recommendations<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite the irregularities, the report fell short of recommending prosecution of officials indicted in the report.\u00a0It rather\u00a0recommended the retrieval of monies retrieved\u00a0and subsequent sanctions when the monies are not paid.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin A. Allotey & Franklin Badu Jnr\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n