The Deputy Minister of Health, Kingsley Aboagye Gyadu has stated that, his Ministry has retrieved some monies wrongfully paid to individuals as contained in 2016 Auditor-General’s report.
Speaking at the public hearing of the Public Account Committee (PAC) of parliament to consider the Report of the Auditor-General, (AG) on the Accounts of Ministries, Departments and other Agencies (MDAs) for the year ended December 31, 2016, Deputy Health Minister together with the Chief Director at the Health Ministry, Nana Adjei Mensah explained how an unauthorized payment, classified as ‘infractions’ were retrieved from individuals.
In the case of Sunyani Regional Hospital, The Deputy Minister said, The Hospital has recovered GHC 920.00 leaving a balance of GHC 27,074.92 in relation to unrecovered advances to the tune of GHC36,994.92….”Our Auditors of Sunyani Regional Hospital in 2015 disclosed that 64 members of staff had not paid advances totalling GHC 36,994.92 granted them, some dating as far back as 2006″-Auditor-General Report.
According to the report on College of Health Research at Kintampo,: “Contrary to Regulation 297(1) of the (FAR), 2004, we noted that an officer who separated from the institution between December 2014 and December 2015 was paid unearned salaries totalling GH¢ 86,735.22″ with its recommendation that “Management should pursue recovery of the amount or convert it as an advance and charge it to the personal account which would be Deducted from the salary or entitlement”.
In respond, The Ministry noted that, “subsequent to the audit the Ministry has reposted the Officer to Ministry of Health Head Quarters and converted the amount to loan and be deducting GH¢3,000.00 from his salary every month until the full amount is recovered or deducted from his befits whichever is earlier”.
Other institutions that have appeared before The Committee were; Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Central Medical Stores, Greater Accra Region Regional Health Directorates, Kumasi Regional Medical Stores Ashanti-Region, Bekwoi Government Hospital.
The rest are: Nursing and Midwifery Training School Offinso, Pantong Psychiatric Hospital, Ridge Hospital, Anfoega Catholic hospital, Accra Psychiatric Hospital Wa Regional Health Directorate and Regional Medical Stores-Tamale among others.
Story by Edzorna Francis Mensah
