Some 18 teachers in Amansie Central are to be investigated for allegedly promoting themselves unlawfully to receive GHS188,000 in unearned salaries.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), has therefore ordered the Ghana Education Service (GES) to probe these 18 teachers over illegal promotions and causing financial loss to the state.
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Meanwhile, according to a report by Citi News, the Amansie Central District Education Director, Vincent Ben Ameyaw, said part of the money had been recovered.
“We have been able to collect GHS34,731.53 and we are left with GHS152,996.54 and we are on course collecting,” the director said.
Adding that “we did not place[promote the 18 teachers], they did self-upgrading without passing through the office, so it’s a backdoor affair.”
In a related development, the committee also ordered Sunyani teacher, Comfort Appiah to be arrested and prosecuted following allegations of payroll irregularities and the misuse of unearned salary.
The Kintampo South District Education Directorate claims that payroll validator and headteacher, Bismark Agyekum, who fled to California with a validation code, was the mastermind behind the plot.
With the use of this code, he was able to obtain GHS26,000 in salary payments illegally.
It was also revealed that when the money was first deposited into his own account, Agyekum moved it to Appiah’s account in Sunyani.
PAC has referred the case to the Attorney-General for further prosecution.
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The committee’s investigation demonstrates how dedicated it is to stopping fraud and making sure public financial management is held accountable.
