The Auditor-General’s report on the public accounts of ghana – ministries, departments and other agencies (MDAs) for the year ended 31 December 2022 has cited the Upper East Regional Centre for National Culture’s Ag. Director, Elizabeth Talata Adongo for receiving illegitimate allowances.
“Part 3.4 of the Ministry of Finance Revised Administrative rules and procedures for implementing allowances in the Public Service provides that only Category ‘A’ and ‘B’ Public Office Holders are entitled to Category four allowances which include Fuel; Vehicle; Housing/Accommodation; Utilities; Domestic/House help; Garden boy; Entertainment; Clothing; and Security allowances.”
“We noted during the audit that the Ag. Regional Director, Elizabeth Talata Adongo with Staff ID 654013 who is not a Category ‘A’ or ‘B’ Public Office Holder, was paid two category ‘A’ and ‘B’ allowances (Domestic Servant Steward allowance and Domestic Servant Night Watchman allowance) from January 2021 to June 2022 totalling GH¢17,888.40 of which GH¢10,000.00 had been recovered leaving a difference of GH¢7,888.40,” the report stated.
The Auditor-General has as such asked that the allowances be recovered from Madam Adongo.
“We recommended that the Executive Director should recover the unearned allowances totalling GH¢7,888.40 from the Ag. Regional Director and pay same into the Auditor-General’s Recoveries Account with the Bank of Ghana, failing which the amount should be recovered from the Executive Director.”
Additionally, the Ag. Regional Director, Madam Adongo is said to have paid unearned allowance totalling over Ghc 360,000.
“We noted that, the Ag. Regional Director paid unearned salaries totalling GH¢364,914.23 to 35 staff who did not assume duty effective 1 April 2021 and were not eligible to be paid salary for periods ranging between four and fifteen months. The Economic Organized Crime Office, (EOCO), Bolgatanga had since recovered GH¢12,420.00 leaving a balance of GH¢352,494.23 yet to be recovered.”
“We recommended that the Executive Director should recover the amount of GH¢352,494.23 with interest at the prevailing Bank of Ghana rate from the Ag. Regional Director and the Accountant and pay same into the Auditor-General’s Recoveries Account with Bank of Ghana, failing which the amount should be recovered from the Executive Director.”
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
